Message from DG Ed Gibbons

Fellow Lions,

Past District Governors were right! This newsletter comes around quick. It seems only last week you received my September and now it is October.

Thank you Lions Clubs of Oak Ridge, Oneida, Morristown Cherokee, Greeneville, Johnson County, Knox County North, Clinton and Morristown Morris Blvd. for your hospitality during my visit to you. It is exciting for me to visit and meet new Lions I have never seen before and to hear about your club activities.

As you know, one of my goals (besides the #1 goal of membership) is for your club to try a new service project. Many of the clubs have already contacted me to say it is in the works or that they have already done one. We all know that Lions Clubs make local communities better places to live. Lions’ adopted service programs allow you to work on a diverse array of community service activity projects. It could be focusing on improving eyesight or providing help halfway around the world. Lions have always worked on sight projects as well as projects on hearing and diabetes. When we work with the youth in our projects, we show them how important Lions are to the communities we serve. Later on in their life they will remember how Lions helped their communities and will possibly join a local Lions club. So, I’m asking clubs like yours to get out of the same ole rut with your service project and try a new one. It will energize your club, your members, and who knows, it might take the place of your old one that got stale.

October is New Membership Drive month. Set your Club goal of adding a new member this month. Just ASK ONE!

Don’t forget the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes fundraiser at the UT Gardens on November 2nd.  Contact 2VDG Paulette to donate or to walk with her group.

It would be nice if I could get your White Cane contribution when I visit your club or if you forget, you can mail it to me at 10 Dove Tree Lane, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Our District needs it now to support our District Projects. While you are making out that check, don’t forget to make one out to LCIF too. Remember all the monies raised and contributed by your clubs comes back to the communities and projects we serve. LCIF contributions can come back to our area by way of grants whenever a disaster occurs or a need by our District for something like eyesight cameras. It also helps people in need around the world.

International President Joe Preston has asked every club to take part in the Centennial Service Challenge. The challenge is for Lions to help 25 million youths, provide vision services for 25 million, feed 25 million and benefit 25 million through environmental projects. Read all about it in your October Lion Magazine.

Don’t forget my schedule to visit your club. It is in the newsletter and on the web site Calendar.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your ongoing contributions and service to your community.

Where There’s A Need There’s A Lion-“We Serve”.

District Governor Ed Gibbons