Thank you for the opportunity to serve this year.
The goal of the District this year is to “Focus on Vision.” Both meanings of “Vision” are considered in this goal. We are known around the world for our 1.4 million members who fight everyday to treat and cure blindness. However, we are also known for our leadership and community service that takes our sights to the future and what we can accomplish. I encourage all Lions, and Lions to be to embrace both meanings of “Vision” for the next year.
Speaking of the next year, we are in uncharted waters Lions. We have never faced this level of adversity from a pandemic. Many clubs are unable to meet, but all are still able to serve. I ask you to come together to serve in the coming year for the good of our communities, state, and countries. The world is a strange and scary place right now. Lions can help bring peace and hope to those in need. Remember, (in the deep baritone of Lion Sherman Leathers), “We are Loving Individuals Offering Needed Service.”
I try every week to listen to the greatest coach ever (Okay I may be a little biased) Jimmy V. He would preach at every practice, game, and brickyard walk, “Put yourself in a position to win.” That is what we can do even in this current climate, put ourselves into a position to win. Take the time to work on your club communications, websites, social media, service opportunities, and fundraising plans. May we look back at this time as our greatest hour when we did what must be done.
Many of you have expressed to me that you are scared about the pandemic and the current state of affairs of the world. Two days ago, Amy and I, with our two youngest boys 9 and 11, decided to take half a day and go sailing. We had a great time for four hours or so; however, about a mile from the dock a thunderstorm hit from out of nowhere. A huge gust of air flipped our boat. In less than a second, we went from sailing peacefully to capsized. Never did any of us expect to be in such danger on a pretty day.
I climbed on the keel until the boat flipped back over. With the sails still up it immediately took off with the four of us hanging onto as best we could. I threw little Teddy into the boat and we told him to drop the sails. He later told me, “Daddy, I was scared, but I knew I had to get the job done to save everyone.” We explained that “bravery” is doing what you must when you are scared.
Together Lions, we must be brave in this current environment. We must do what we know we must even though we may be scared. We must continue to serve. We must continue to work for good. We must continue to be Lions, even when this storm tears at the sails and flips the boat. I predict many civic and community service organizations will disappear this year; however, we will not be one of them. We will work hard, we will serve where we can, and we will prevail.
Visions, service, and energy will drive everything else. Take time to tell others about your service. People want to help, they just need to know what you are doing in the community and how they can assist. Look first for opportunities to serve; funds and members will follow.
I look forward to working with you this year

Thank you for the opportunity to serve this year.

The priorities for the district this year are membership and community service. Serving the people in need in our communities is what the lions are all about and there are many ways to serve. It might be paying for an eye exam and glasses or using a spot vision machine to screen children in your local schools.

One club during a school screening found a young girl who had a serious problem in one of her eyes. When her parents took her to an eye doctor they found a cancerous tumor that would have traveled to her brain if it had not been found. Maybe its helping families at Christmas or giving warm coats to children in your local schools. What ever the needs, it is important that we find and fill those needs.

We also have some wonderful opportunities to serve people at the state level. Camp Dogwood is a property we own on Lake Norman. Each week during the summer about ninety blind and visually impaired people go to Camp Dogwood for a week of activities. They have the opportunity to do many fun things around the lake and even go off the property to bowl, shop or visit a horse farm. We have the opportunity to volunteer as a camp counselor for a week. You will be able to help the VIPs have a wonderful time and in the process you will come away with great appreciation of the challenges our VIPs have in their lives. You will also come away with some incredible new friends.

The VIP Fishing Tournament is another great opportunity to serve. The VIP Fishing Tournament is the largest event for VIPs in the world. In October over five hundred visually impaired people go the the Outer Banks for three days of fishing and other activities. We take over four piers and hire two boats so the VIPs have a a day of fishing. Then there are dinners, dances and other activities. This event uses over three hundred volunteers. Again, another great opportunity to serve.

Membership is our other priority. Ask your neighbor or friend from church to help with your clubs service project. When your friends see the good work the Lions are doing, they will be interested in joining our organization. Take pictures of your next service project and send them with a short write up to your local paper and put it on your web page. The clubs that are doing this are adding new members.If we do not grow we will disappear.

I look forward to working with you this year.