Either this year is half over or we have half to go. Either way we have a lot of work ahead of us.

This year has started with our membership numbers still going down and our gains lagging. What can we do about our membership? Well I just had the pleasure of inducting a new Lion, a 25 year old young lady into the Coalfield club a few nights ago. She is eager to begin her Lions life by getting involved in the activities of the club and by attracting new members to her club. We need that eagerness and willingness in all of us. We need to look to our family, friends and coworkers in an effort to revitalize our clubs.

Our annual convention is just around the corner and a lot of planning has already gone into what I hope will be one of the best attended events in recent memory, February 18-19, at Rothchild’s Convention Center, Knoxville. We will have a great guest from the international family, International Director Anne Smarsh from Kansas as our speaker. Saturday she will also be attending our annual business meeting that afternoon. Friday night will begin with registration followed by a buffet. We will be having an old fashioned “Sock Hop” after dinner until 9 or 10PM. Registration forms are in the News & Views and on our District 12 web-site at www.tnlions.org (Convention information and registration form here). Please get them into 2nd Vice District Governor Diane Wilkerson before January 31st. We will be conducting a silent auction to help offset the cost of the convention, so bring in those items you wish to auction on Friday night.

We will need information on your next year’s selection of new officers in the next couple of months, so be looking to those you might want to have as your new leaders for the coming year. Interested in a cabinet position? If so, let 1st VDG Chuck Bailey know as to your intent so you might be considered for the position. There are over 60 positions on the cabinet and not all are filled. We need someone interested in the Awards program, Zone Chair’s and others.

We are finding that in this era of recession that the requests for needs, particularly glasses, are even greater than before.  Our donations are smaller so we need to be even more careful as to how we spend our limited funds. It is very dishearting to hear that clubs in our district are turning away those in need because of either a lack of funds or the lack of members to help those in need.

We can come together as clubs, Zones, Regions and the District to help those clubs that need assistance in helping their communities. Please let the District Chair’s know of your needs and we at district will help your clubs in the best way we can.

Have a great and safe new year, and let’s all be a plus one by the end of June.

DG Bill McDonald