"Imagine" a World of Vision Through Service
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V O L U M E 3 2 DISTRICT 4 I S S U E 0 4 N O V E M B E R 2014 - C5 Inside Governor's Message 1st VDG's Message "Imagine" 2nd VDG's Message A Student Speaker Contest Membership Round-up World of Vision This and That Around the District Through Service LEF I am so very proud of all of our Lions and Clubs who were “on the ground” serving the displaced while we were applying for the Lions Club International Foundation From International Grant which was speedily approved. Our Clubs and those in the surrounding Making Strides Districts were all on "alert status" to move up the hills to serve if needed. Thankfully, our District was spared any loss of life and fundraisers by From MD4 several of our Clubs in their respective communities have been initiated. Overall, our District survived the Sand, King and Applegate wildfires but we are still not out Lions 2015 Float of the woods as it may just be the “calm before the storm”. Now the imminent Leadership Training danger to our foothill and mountainous areas may shift from fire hazard to flood and landslide risk. Many of our Lions Club has opted to donate their wildfire District Cabinet and expenses; thus, I will be returning most, if not all the Grant monies to Lions Club Committees International Foundation, but we had it "just in case" the need became greater. Please continue to hold good thoughts and prayers for those affected and Governor’s Visitation that clear sailing lies ahead for all of us. Announcements Our Region and Zone Chairs continue to listen to your needs and suggestions to Health Topics keep our District strong. They are my eyes and ears, assisting us in continuing to" Strengthen the Pride" as our International President Joe Preston has requested. In Battle of the Bulge the last few days, I have had the honor of inducting four new members into our organization and within the next two weeks, I hope to induct another ten. This gives Invasion by Filovirus our Clubs additional hands to carry on their many projects so continue to “Just Ask"! Lions Pride District 4-C5 1 Governor’s Message Recently returned from the USA/CANADA Leadership Forum held in San Juan, Puerto Rico; what a wonderful three days of training, sharing, reflecting, fellowship and attending events to enhance the tradition of excellence of Lionism. Nearly 100 Forums, motivational/keynote speakers, entertainments and camaraderie shared with over 1600 guests from all over North America/Canada. Please plan to attend next year’s exciting USA/CANADA Leadership Forum to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan U.S.A. Our District offers excellent and continuous training in nearly any subject area you would like to enhance your leadership skills. Supplement that training by enrolling “Imagine” with "Lions University", a year round on-line webinar training program provided by the USA/CANADA Leadership Forum (not Lions Club International) to insure you have the skills and resources to meet the objectives of building strong communities through volunteer services. For instance, this month courses included Effective Club Meeting, Conflict Resolution, and Club Secretary and/or President training as an elective. Coming up in November are Member Motivation and Public Relations just to name a few. Checkout the excellent webinars by going to www.lionsuniversity.org. A The Holidays are quickly approaching and we have continued to serve in many diverse ways. We are in the final phase of our District Governor Official Club Visitations. What a voyage this has been delivering the message from International President Joe Preston World and my “Vision” for the District to our membership. It has reinforced my belief we are a strong District consisting of diverse and committed Lions from the smallest to the largest Lion Clubs in the execution of humanitarian services to those less fortunate in of our respective communities --- Thank You for the wonderful journey! I would like to invite everyone to attend our second District Cabinet Meeting scheduled for Saturday November 22, 2014 at Pioneer High School in Woodland. Come and see Vision why my Cabinet does not follow the motto "If you always do what you always have done, you will always get what you have always gotten". Be prepared to “think outside of the box” and enjoy a day packed with something for everyone: entertainment, food, 18 action packed Forums, a fabulous lunch with our keynote Through speaker, "Helen Keller", canines, and humans who will keep our heads and minds whirling for days after the 7:30a start. Our host will be Dos Rios Region Chair Dave Evans who has chosen the Cabinet Meeting theme “Education through Entertainment” whereby he and his Zone Chairs have many innovations for all of us to enjoy. Confirm Service your lunch reservation by November 17 to Cabinet Treasurer Sarah Enloe [[email protected] or 916 686-2116] for an opportunity to take home a complementary gift basket. See you all in Woodland! The Holidays are quickly approaching and we continue to serve in so many diverse ways. Trick or Treat... Continue your Feats ... of continuous kindnesses! Lion Erv Gon District Governor 2014 - 2015 [email protected] Lions Pride District 4-C5 2 1st VDG’s Message Step up to the Plate and “Serve” The Spirit of Thanksgiving You know, come to think about it, Thanksgiving and the Lions organization have a lot in common, we are thankful for what we have and give to those who need it more. I am not sure what “it” is but we sure give a lot of it to those less fortunate. We feed the hungry, we give sight to those who have never seen, have camps for the deaf or Mike Rezlaff hard of hearing, helping to eradicate illiteracy and much, much more. If we stretch it a little, we can liken it to what the Indians did to help out the starving Pilgrims so many years ago. The Spirit of Thanksgiving is still alive today. So how are you going to celebrate Thanksgiving – 2014? Many of us will spend it with our families. Some will work in an unfamiliar kitchen feeding those less fortunate. Some of us will be alone, some by choice, others not. If you can, reach out to those and adopt them for a day. In all my years in the military, I can’t remember a single year when I was home that Life is either a we didn’t feed a houseful of young airmen, eager to scarf down a home-cooked meal daring adventure and make a phone call back home to their family members doing the same thing or nothing. To keep many miles away. Yes, The Spirit of Thanksgiving was/is still alive. our faces toward change and behave This year, I have had the like free spirits in opportunity to visit many of the clubs you are a member the presence of of. I’ve been able to tell you fate is strength that International President undefeatable. Joe Preston wants each of us to “Just Ask One” to help Helen Keller bolster our membership numbers. But more important than getting new members, IP Joe has asked us to “Strengthen the Pride”. Get to know your club members better, find out how the club member that came in with you is doing because his attendance at club meeting has been dwindling. Does he or she need a ride because they can’t drive anymore? The reasons are numerous and all it takes is a phone call or a note to find out why. In closing, thank you for being Lions and doing what you do to make the world a better place to live in. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. Lion Michael Retzlaff 1st Vice District Governor [email protected] Lions Pride District 4-C5 3 2nd VDG’s Message Sustainable Service Through Lionism Dear Lions, My whole life, I have been presented to a single element called change. Change occurs in many different forms and is carried out in many different ways. Kumar Kalagara "There is nothing permanent in life except change," said philosopher Heraclitus. Others have called change or variety as 'the spice of life'. The great insight of the enlightened, Gautam the Buddha, was "the everything that is, will change and the changed will change further." Change is in the very nature of being. Every new day is different from the previous day. Body metabolism is one such process as also growth of trees and revolving of planets. Tides come and go. Sometimes a whole river changes it's direction. What is happening with us LIONS is no different. We LIONS in different capacities and capabilities, been serving the communities across the globe for a century. Although our motto "We Serve" hasn't changed but our approach did. Adopting to the changing society is the only way we can continue our mission. For obvious reasons, people reject change. They fight the change until they force the person to change. It is here that we need to ask ourselves some basic questions about change. Have I ever given a thought to changing things around me? Have I ever tried to act in a way that could bring about change for the better in society? It's futile to stop change and argue against it. We need to change. I am the change agent and the change starts with me. Yours in Lionsim. Lion Kumar Kalagara 2nd Vice District Governor [email protected] Lions Pride District 4-C5 4 Around the District District’s 2015 Medical Mission to Northern Philippines will serve rural area poor Embarcadero Lions champion cause with hard-hitting project - LCIF matches local funds Hats off to Sacramento Embarcadero Lions Club for their involvement in the development of a large medical mission to the Philippines scheduled for next year.