Lions are members of community service clubs, dedicated to the idea that the men and women who live in a community are in the best position to know who needs help and why. More than 46,000 strong, these local clubs are part of the worlds’ largest such organization, with 1.4+ million members serving in more than 200 countries and areas. The association is both non-political and non-sectarian.
Founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1917 by insurance agent Melvin Jones and others, Lions Clubs International has ever since offered business and professional people a way of sharing their success by helping those less fortunate than themselves. The association became international when a club was formed in Canada in 1920. A highlight of its early history was a speech at the 1925 convention, when the legendary Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” They responded, and Lions are now best known for their sight-related programs, including SightFirst, the world’s largest blindness prevention program. Today the Lions are sponsoring Lions KidSight USA, working to identify and help reduce childhood vision problems that may be a barrier to learning.
While Lions speak many languages and profess many religious and political beliefs, they all subscribe to common objectives and ethical principles.
LIONS subscribe to specific “Code of Ethics” and follow the motto “We Serve”.
100% of all community donations to the LIONS are used for charitable services or returned to the community either directly or through service projects.
LIONS Clubs generally meet on a regular basis for breakfast, Lunch or dinner.
Meetings provide a forum for project planning, guest speakers, and fellowship
Memberships in LIONS are by invitation, and open to any person, at least 18 years of age, of good moral character, and interested in serving their community.
District Governors Ana Elliott (N) and Jim Tobolski (S) invite you to District’s N&S Mid-Winter Convention. The Convention Committee has been hard at work! The 2025 Mid-Winter Convention is coming fast! We are only weeks away now. Here are the details and links for registration and advertisement forms (below).
International Director Bert Nelson of New York Mills, Minnesota, United States, was elected to serve a two-year term as an international director of Lions International at the association’s 106th International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, June 21 through June 25, 2024. Director Nelson has 15 years of experience as a financial services professional. He is a registered representative and licensed agent at New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation, where he provides financial advice and guidance. He has many notable achievements, including awards in annuity and life insurance and long-term care insurance sales. Director Nelson joined the New York Mills Lions Club in 1991, where he is currently an active member. He has held several offices within the association including club president, club secretary, zone chairperson, district public relations chairperson, district governor, council chairperson and was a USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum planning committee member, among many other positions. In recognition of his service to the association, Director Nelson has received numerous awards including Lion of the Year Award, The Al Jensen Award, an LCIF Helping Hands Award and multiple International President’s Awards and International President’s Medals. He is also a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow. In addition to his Lion activities, Director Nelson has served as township treasurer, fire warden, and Holy Cross Catholic Church Council and Trustee member. He has also been a facilitator for multiple Regional Lions Leadership Institutes and Emerging Lions Leadership Institutes. Director Nelson is an avid hunter and enjoys playing games and cards with his family and friends. Director Nelson and his wife of 40 years, Pamela, also a Lion and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow, have three adult children and three grandchildren.
We will have seminars on the following topics: LCIF, KidsSightUSA and Childhood Cancer.
Tail Twister Breakfast Auction: PLEASE bring Items/ baskets etc. to raffle off! Funds raised go to Brighter Visions.
Remember, Clubs must be current on their dues with both LCI and State/District dues for first half of the year, to be eligible to vote. Check with your Treasurer, if you did not previously do so.
Call hotel soon for room reservations (listed on Registration form), as there may be soccer families staying at the hotel also for a tournament.
Interested in being an Officer?
Lions that meet the qualifications per Lions Club International By Laws that are interested in running for 2nd Vice District Governor, 1st Vice District Governor and District Governor are encouraged to send your Letter of Intent, Resume and Club Endorsement to the Nominations Chair, PDG Carlton Metts at carltonvmetts@gmail.com by December 15th, 2024.
You are cordially invited to the District N&S Mid-Winter Convention January 19-20, 2024 in Greenville, NC. Our Guest Speaker is International Director Joanne Ogden. Our next Cabinet Meeting and Elections will be held during the convention on Saturday, January 20, 2024.
For those interested in running for the following officers District Governor, 1st Vice District Governor and 2nd Vice District Governor for the 2024-2025 please send your resume and club endorsement to the Nominations Chair. Below are the Download Buttons for the Registration form and Convention Ad Form.
I am excited to serve as District Governor this year, it is my privilege to work with our district leaders for the benefit that Lionism brings to our community serving the vision and hearing impaired. It is my hope that we can serve our vision impaired community by asking for more volunteers to “Join our Vision Team”. Through joint efforts, we can inspire each other in positive goal setting efforts to fund clinical eye research, devoting more time to seek information that could benefit our communities on ways to guide those that need us in the right direction.
Throughout this year of service, we should continue our strong sense of serving others, putting our district in the place to stay strong in our conviction of service, seek out ways to serve others, search for those that need us, fuel the efforts of fundraising to serve our district, serve those that have disasters and need us. We are a devoted community of Lions, our district is strong and energetic serving our local community, our district, and our state communities to any extent that we are capable of. I am asking all Lions in our district to help as we join together to become a resource for those in need, to seek the funds they need or the guidance for services that are available.
My goals are to find new innovative ways to help raise funds for our district to meet the needs of those that need our help funding glasses, hearing aids, etc. From my personal life, I know the importance of helping families in need of services that can put a hardship on their finances forcing them to delay needed purchases that will enhance their quality of life. I believe that together we can find ways to Save Sight, One Dollar at a Time. Following the goals set by Past District Governor Allen Swaim, I would like our district to continue donating dollars to save sight.
Throughout this current year of Governor Allen Swaim’s dedication to our district, I have observed many positive moments of dedication and service to others, Governor Allen has inspired me to continue many of his efforts. We all need to continue seeking dedicated Lions to join our group, membership is so vital to our community to stay viable as a service organization. WE NEED YOU, join us, we can find a role for you that will allow new members to join us in our conviction to stay strong, committed to serving others, and having fun as we seek new ways to serve.
We as lions, serve our community through a dedication and commitment to others that has stood the test of time that a pandemic did not take away, we have remained strong, my dedication to Lionism will continue to remain strong.
Mark your calendars: Monday October 3 for the Annual District 31-N & S PDG Golf Tournament benefitting the Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament. The event will be held at Lane Tree Country Club in Goldsboro. Shotgun start will be 11:00 a.m. the format is a modified super-ball tournament. Prizes will be awarded for first and second place, as well as closest to the pin on all par threes, and the longest drive on a designated hole.
We need players; $75.00 for individual, $300.00 for a team. We also need hole sponsors at $100.00 each.
For additional information contact PDG Jana Peedin at jduobox@aol.com or PDG Gene English at ggenglish@n.rr.com or any PDG in your District.
“A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.” This is a quote credited to Helen Keller, among several others throughout history. It makes no difference who first said it; it only makes a difference if you believe it, I believe it, and we all as a group believe it.
This year has the wonderful opportunity to turn our district into a community service superpower. We each have a role to play, just like the protagonistic robot leader on the kids movie, “find a need, fill a need!” We are so very blessed to be here, in the Lions Clubs, at this particular period of time. We can, and will, make a huge movement for the good of our local, district, and state communities this year, and for many years to come.
It was just over two years ago when I became District Governor for the first time. Now, due to circumstances as they are, I am returning for the last time that I, and anyone else, will be able to become a DG more than once. It seemed that the world ended up like the boat we were on when it capsized during the storm; confusing, scary, and a lot of chaos. I changed my direction and goals at the last moment and started asking clubs to “just do something” to stay relevant. You responded, many of you responded like the true heroes you are. You delivered food and supplies to shut-ins that were too sacred or worried to leave their home; you ran fundraisers with multiple stages that raised money but kept safe separation between others, and you retained your Lions’ Spirit through it all.
Today, I thank PDG Randy Oxendine for his leadership over the last year as we have come out of the Covid Chaos, and I look forward with exuberance at the possibilities of the next year. I have set several goals that will challenge the best among you, but they are reachable and will make us into a powerhouse of a district. First, we have announced a contest for membership driven Lions. If any Lion sponsors three new members during my term as DG, I will invite you and your spouse to a dinner at the Angus Barn (if a small group), or (better yet) a night of celebration at our house (with a chef and bartender coming in to cook in front of everyone.) We need to get above 1250 member to be able to sponsor another International Director, and we have some great member in our district that deserve the chance to run that race.
Second, I have set the goal of one hundred twenty dollars for Brighter Visions for each member of our district. Brighter Visions has suffered under Covid and we need to replenish it. I have also asked each club to hold an individual fundraiser just to benefit Brighter Visions on top of your individual goal. Here in Wendell, we are holding a benefit concert just for Brighter Visions and we are setting our goal high because the money is sorely needed.
Third, I returned just recently from a tour of Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute with Gwen, Rhett, and several big wigs from the greater DC area district. There are things being worked on in their labs that are incredible and too much to write here. The director there says he needs money to develop the technology that will virtually eliminate blindness. I spoke to the VDGs of N and S, and we have come up with a goal to raise one million one dollar bills for clinical eye research. If we can cure blindness, let’s do it sooner rather than later. You will be asked to set out jars and buckets to collect changes and single dollars that we will pile up and keep current with a picture online. I read where a Lions Club raised one million pennies for library books a few years back. I believe we can raise one million dollars for clinical eye research if we set our hearts and minds to it.
Lastly, let’s have fun and be happy. People are drawn to a group if they are happy and having fun. Fun comes from activities that bring you joy. Happiness is a state of mind. Make your goals to benefit those in need in and around our community, and let others know the happiness you receive from doing them. Ask for help in your activities, it is really easy, and everyone loves helping the community if they know it is something that you are doing. Let’s get started on a fantastic year!
GOLFERS WANTED!!! The PDG’S of District 31 N&S invite you to play in our upcoming golf event to raise funds for the VIP Fishing Tournament. Monday Oct4th in Goldsboro. Come Join Us You Still have time to register. Any questions feel free to call PDG Wayne Faber 919-780-8819.
As Lions, one of the most important things we can do is to be informed of the North Carolina Laws that protect people who are blind or have low vision, their use of white canes and their service animals.
While it is very important that we raise money to help people with their visions White Canes and Leader Dogs, it is also important that we know, and share, information on the rights and protection of people who are blind or have low vision.
North Carolina has many laws that give rights and protection to people who are blind or have low vision. A list of these laws can be found at HERE. These laws cover assaulting a service animal, Rights of people who are Blind, Right-of-Way for White Canes, & Guide Dogs, among other items.
The NC DHHS publishes a document on “Welcoming Your Customers who use Service Animals”. This is a good summary of wha businesses should do and how they can recognize what animals qualify as a service animal and which do not. This document can be found at HERE.
