As our Lions fiscal year comes to an end, I have searched for the “right” subjects to write about. I’d like you to know that Carol and I gave it all we had to give for a successful year. We have had a good year but we failed to achieve all of our objectives. I will summarize what we did accomplish. I choose to discuss the softer items I observed and felt as the year unfolded. There are three distinct stories to follow: 1) Club visits, 2) District 12-N and Multi-District 12 meetings, and 3) District conventions.

Carol and I both agree that the Club meetings were arduous because of scheduling and travel, but were most enlightening and fun during the visits. The Clubs show a great deal of respect for the District Governor’s visit. We were treated very well and have fond memories of all of our visits. Without fail, the Clubs offered us their friendship and generous hospitality and for that we are grateful. Thank you most sincerely! We observed that many of our Clubs have very small member numbers. Even so, that did not dampen the spirit and the desire to carry out our Lions’ motto, We Serve. However, it should be noted that scheduling the visits truly is a most difficult task. I really believe an improved process and buy-in from the Clubs would reduce the time spent and lessen the stress on both parties. Please help your next DG with that.

In addition to Club visits, a major segment of our year was spent driving to and attending District 12-N Cabinet meetings and Multi-District 12 meetings. The District meetings were necessary to carry out local business conversations and to discuss strategic direction coming from Lions Club International and from the Multi-District here in Tennessee. Thanks to all Cabinet members and all committee chairs for your time and service to the District. The Multi-District get-togethers introduced us to the “power brokers” in Lionism and allowed us to become close friends with many very fine people from around our state. At these meetings, the five sitting Tennessee Governors were shown a lot of respect but we quickly realized that the Past District Governors in attendance may have more knowledge of Lionism. We learned more about the role that our state has played in LCI’s history. Each of our four International Presidents has left his mark on the services that we Lions provide today. We have very good reason to be proud of our TN heritage in Lions! I urge every Lion in the District to try to attend at least one 12-N or MD-12 meeting to witness the training and management of the business of Lionism. Carol and I wish to thank our mentors for the time and love spent to train us.

We attended the five District conventions (12-L, 12-I, 12-O, 12-N, and 12-S), as well as the MD-12 convention. This year our local convention was in Kingsport. It is “The Test” of the DG’s ability to pull together a major event, cover the required business items, provide some education, host an International Director and visiting dignitaries, feed everyone well, show attendees a good time, and come in within budget. We felt that the 2018 12-N convention was successful, judged on these criteria. Carol and I wish to thank the many 12-N Lions who supported the convention by giving of their time and money. A special thanks to our chair PDG Diane Wilkerson, the Kingsport Lions Club, and our potters whose efforts raised $4,250.00 for LCIF through the Truly Tiny Houses initiative. We appreciate every donation made to our humanitarian Foundation through this Centennial project!

Thanks to each of you – it’s a great day to be a Lion!

Adam Bowling

District Governor 12-N