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The Illinois Lion, Lioness, Leo
Elmhurst Lions Club Donated $4,000 to Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare Learning Center for Diabetes
District 1A Lions Kick-off Centennial Celebration at their Annual Convention
MD1 e-Magazine (Lite) Vol. 3 - Issue 14, May 2016
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From Council Chair:
Welcome the month of May. Why you say? May is
the signal that the District Conventions are over,
the Districts have elected their new officers for the
2016-2017 Lions year and our year as the Council
of Governors will soon be coming to a close, but we
still have work to do. We have had a great year for
membership in Illinois. Across the State we are at a
+ 72.
When was the last time our multiple has had a plus
in membership? A ‘Thank You’ to the Governors,
the members of the GMT and GLT and to all the
Lions that used the “ASK ONE” approach.
The last Convention, our State Convention, is just
around the corner, May 20-22, 2016. It is being
held at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield
and the registration form is in this newsletter and
also available on the State Website.
Your Convention Chairperson, Lion Sharon Peska,
has been hard at work putting together a circus
themed convention. Lion Sharon is relying on all of
us to come to Springfield and enjoy the weekend,
attend as many of the seminars and activities as
you can and finally get to meet our Lions Clubs
International incoming President Bob Corlew and
our First Lady, Lion Dianne Corlew from Milton,
Tennessee. Lions Bob and Dianne are no strangers
to Illinois, having been the visiting Director to
several of our past District Conventions.
Your attendance and input at the convention will
help the committee to plan even bigger and better
things in the future. After all, we are about to enter
into our Centennial Celebration and enter the next
100 years of Service. To follow with the theme of
Lions Bob and Dianne, “More Mountains to Climb”,
I think we all can start that climb right here in
Illinois.
Thank you for your service,
Lion Steve Anton
Council Chairman
Editorial:
SEEDS OF NEW LEADERSHIP
Just the nature’s way in the month
of May seeds start growing in our
yards and gardens to produce
vegetables and flowers to beautify our
neighborhoods and to savor fresh vegetables from
our gardens in the future months.
Our clubs, zones, districts and International will be
sowing these seeds in the garden of Lionism. New
seeds of leadership will grow and bring new
enthusiasm, projects, fundraisers with lots of fun
and frolic with new ideas, new goals and bring new
charisma to celebrate our Centennial Celebrations
in the Birth Place of Lionism – Chicago, yes
Chicago!
Entire world of lionism will be looking at us how we
celebrate our 100 years of pride and what we plan
for the next 100 years of our magnetic future.
Lions are leaders in community service, helping the
needy and quick responders to any natural disaster
in this world.
As I write this editorial, we are 1,410,052 members
worldwide – only humanitarian association in this
world to reach this number. We are very proud of
our membership growth. Now we need more
members in North America to keep our strength in
Lionism as world leaders. Shrinkage in
membership in North America doesn’t make us
look good as Lions World Leaders. Let us build our
clubs and let us bring new lions clubs where there
are none. These communities are missing Lions
activities; especially the less fortunate.
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Lions are recognized by UN as the #1 humanitarian
association of the world. Our clubs in our
communities take any challenge they have to fulfill
the need. Lions who started Leader Dogs, White
Cane and played a major role in establishing state
and federal laws on visually impaired people.
Lions are just volunteers who spend their money
and personal time to serve unselfishly. They are
the leaders in their communities and also they lead
where they work. Lionism grooms leadership skills
in them to be a team leader, organizer, care taker
and fun raiser.
May is the bad month for many Lions clubs in the
world as many clubs decide to drop their members
due to non-payment of dues or not attending
regular meetings. This should be changed – we are
care takers of the needy and how we cannot take
care of our own members to remain in our clubs?
Now LCI is not demanding members to attend
meetings regularly. Members do not have to
attend regular meetings without fail. We need
members support for our programs, events and
fund raisers. If members can do this without
attending meetings regularly where is the loss? Let
us support these members to remain as Lions in
our clubs.
Time to give more importance to cyber activities, e-
mails and social media. Only through this Lions will
grow further and come together when personal
presences mandate them to have projects, events,
fundraisers accomplished with flying colors.
-PDG Austin D’Souza, Ph.D.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP CORNER: Jama Wahl
This is the last in a series of
articles based on Blueprint for
Club Success (DA-STPBG EN
5/15). This document is
available to download from the
LCI website.
LCI provides great tools to assist clubs in reaching
their highest potential. This ten-page document is
filled with ways for clubs to plan for success.
This guide suggests four areas for clubs to consider.
1. Assessing your club’s status 2. Establishing your goals 3. Developing your blueprint 4. Putting your blueprint into action
In this final article we are going to consider putting
your club’s blueprint into action, which is found on
page 4 of the document.
Following the assessing of your club’s status,
establishing and prioritizing club goals, and
developing the club’s blueprint, the final step is
putting the blueprint into action. A document such
as this is only valuable if it is used to provide
direction for your club. Implementation is key to
success.
As noted on page 4, be sure to share your blueprint
with all club members so that they are aware of
what the club wants to achieve. They also need to
know their role in achieving club goals. By
remaining committed to your plan and taking
consistent action, the club will move closer to your
goals.
If club members feel connected to the club’s
humanitarian service projects, it is likely the club
will be a healthy, vibrant part of your community.
It is also critical to evaluate your plan on a regular
basis. As circumstances change, your plan may
require revision. The creation of the initial
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Blueprint is just the beginning. Keep it alive and
relevant by measuring progress and gathering
feedback from club members on a routine basis.
This is how you will realize your desired results. Set
aside designated time at your club and/or board
meeting to review progress. Make the blueprint a
working document making changes and
adaptations as needed.
In addition, to achieve success, it is vital that
subsequent club officer teams assess needs,
measure progress, and update the blueprint at
least annually. The questions originally considered
related to the four key dimensions of club
operations, service, leadership development and
membership, will serve as a guide in the evaluation
process.
Your Blueprint for a Stronger Club provides a road
map to achieving greater levels of value in terms of
the community and in terms of member
satisfaction. These simple steps provide a practical
approach to enhance what is working, phase out
what no longer works, and implement new
initiatives. By creating a well-rounded Blueprint for
a Stronger Club, committing club members to its
implementation, regularly revisiting the plan, and
assessing needs and refining action steps, your club
can achieve both its short and long term goals.
The tools to support strong club growth,
leadership, and service are available. Let’s use
them to make our clubs the best they can be!
-Jama Wahl, MD1 GLT Coordinator
GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP CORNER:
We’re in the Home Stretch! The “Home Stretch” is usually a term that is applied to various sports events. It normally means that we are getting close to the end
of the game. That expression can also be applied to Lions. We are in the Home Stretch. The month
of May is upon us with June being just around the corner. That means there are only two months left in the current Lion Year. How will your club finish this year? You have two months left in which to generate any funds that may be needed to complete this year’s charitable giving. Maybe those funds will be applied to something at the beginning of next year. That could include sponsoring one or more campers to Camp Lions. Giving a kid who is vision impaired or blind, or hearing impaired or deaf, a week filled with all of those summer camp activities is a great thing to do. If your club does that, please try to participate in their Open House to actually see the kids and all of the fun they are having. If not Camp Lions, perhaps you are looking to provide eyeglasses or hearing aids to someone who needs them who can’t afford them. Maybe it’s some other worthwhile activity. You should have already elected your officers for next year. Do you want to do those officers a favor? Holding orderly business meeting is something that might come to mind. Something else could be raising more money next year than you did this year, is another. There is something else you could do to make raising more money a little easier for them. That would be finishing this year with more members than you had at the beginning of the year. Doing that would place your club in the position of having more hands, not only at fundraisers, but also at service projects. If you finish the year with a net gain in members and meet the other criteria, your club could qualify for the Club Excellence Award for this year. Check with your district’s GMT Coordinator or your District Governor. They have copies of the application. Compare the criteria with your club’s record for this year. Is you are one or two items short of qualifying, you have two months in which to check off those last few items. Go for it! Even though the current year may be winding down, there is still time in which to accomplish a lot. Complete that last fundraiser. Get some new members. Finish this year with a BANG! The
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members of your club will feel great and next year’s officers should appreciate your efforts. Lion Paul Gergolla, PDG MD-1 GMT Coordinator Phone: 630-858-8073 Email: [email protected]
State Alert Corner: Greetings May Readers of 2016,
Now that the warm weather is finally here, sort of, we need to prepare for our outside activities. The children will soon be out of school and everyone will be ready
for summer. Along with this time of year is the possibility of nasty storms. Spring has been good to us so far but one never knows what Mother Nature will bring our way. We have mentioned many times now about developing that plan in case those nasty storms do hit us. How is your club coming along with a plan? Do you have a plan for your household? MD-1 is doing a good job with clubs getting some type of plan together. However, with all the clubs we have in MD-1, more need to step up. When you get in your car for some week end escapes, don’t forget to do some simple checks on your vehicle. Does your spare tire have air in it? Some new cars don’t even have a spare tire. Do you know what you will do if you get a flat? If you carry some traveling supplies in case you break down, check them out so they are fresh. If you don’t, consider putting some things you may need in your vehicle for such an emergency. If you created a to-go bag for your home, it may be a good time to check it for quality items also. Sure don’t want something to happen, grab your bag and the stuff inside is no good anymore. Never hurts to prepare. I hope to see you at the MD-1 Convention in Springfield and hear about the good things you are doing.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help or just ask questions. A question never asked remains one unanswered. Lion Jim Kiser State Alert Chair [email protected] 630-660-7944
2016 MD1 FALL RALLY
To kick off the 2017
International Convention in
Chicago the Lions of Illinois will
be hosting a MD1 Fall Rally on
October 22, 2016 at the
Embassy Suites in East Peoria, Illinois. This
international centennial convention promises to be
the best and biggest celebration of service the
world has ever seen. And, the Lions of Illinois will
be the hosts!
Lions attending the Fall Rally will have the chance
to meet then President Chancellor Bob Corlew and
Lion Dianne. Informational sessions will be held to
highlight volunteering opportunities for Lions at
the International Convention. Educational sessions
will be held on Lions history, Retention, and much
more.
A new opportunity for clubs is the Lions Expo:
Lions Gone Wild for Service. Clubs will be able to
share information with other Lions about their
favorite service projects as well as their most
successful fundraising projects that support that
service. Clubs and agencies providing service will
receive their tables free of charge. Vendors will be
asked for a $20.00 fee to participate in the Expo.
These are exciting times for the Lions of Illinois and
the Lions of the world. Don’t miss the opportunity
to participate and show the world what your club
does TO SERVE!
Questions: contact Jama Wahl,
MD1 GLT Coordinator, 815-822-3014 or
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The Illinois Lion, Lioness, Leo
MD1 Convention e-Magazine Vol. 3 - Issue 13, May 2016
MD1 Convention Guests:
LCI First Vice President Chancellor Bob Corlew and Lion Dianne Corlew
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COME, MEET MD1 STATE CONVENTION GUESTS:
LCI FIRST VICE PRESIDENT CHANCELLOR BOB
CORLEW AND LION DIANNE CORLEW
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SUPPORT YOUR FOUNDATION:
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Hello MD-1,
Please join us at the MD-1 State Convention to learn more about the Kid Sight vision
program. V.O.I.C.E.S., “Volunteer Organization Involved in Charitable Expressions of
Service” is the Charitable Arm of District 1-A and will be hosting this session along with
providing free vision screenings to children ages 6 months to 6 years. In addition, 1st
Vice President, Lion Bob Corlew and Lion Dianne will also be participating in this
screening.
We are very excited to have Tammy Johnson a representative from the plusoptix
Company that has partnered with the Kid Sight program to do an informal seminar about
the program and equipment. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn more about
this program.
In addition, we have invited all the Districts in the state to bring their cameras that are
being used in their District, to help with the screenings. MD-1 currently has 12 cameras
in operation around the state with more on order. We hope to have a group picture to
showcase all of our cameras in the state.
PDG Jerry Curry and PDG Steve Frankenstein and the Springfield Noon Lions Club from
District 1-M have joined forces to get the word out to the local community about this
program and invite them to attend. Please join us if you live in the Springfield area and
would like to have your child screened (ages 6 months to 6 years of age).
Date: Saturday May 21
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00 pm
Location: President Abraham Lincoln Hotel --- Freeport room (2nd Floor)
If you have any questions please contact, Lion Gail Anton ZC at [email protected] or
708 514-4825
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“One of the best hotels ever!” We just returned from our stay in Springfield. We thoroughly enjoyed staying at this hotel. The staff was very friendly, the beds were extremely comfortable, and the location was perfect for visiting all of the historic Lincoln sites. We ate in the hotel restaurant three times during our stay. My husband said it was the best burger he ever had! I had the prime rib and it was excellent. Our server was Sean - very friendly and very prompt to attend to our every need!
“Possibly the best hotel in town” I am in Springfield often and this is my favorite hotel. Clean, well-appointed, comfortable rooms. One deficit is the walls are thin and you can hear every word, sneeze and flush. Great breakfast buffet includes made to order omelette.
Room service menu is quite limited and not the best, but it's good enough if you're exhausted or don't feel like venturing out of your room. There's always a conference or other activity so rooms book up, you'll need a reservation. Front desk staff could be friendlier, but otherwise good “One of the best hotels ever!” We just returned from our stay in Springfield. We thoroughly enjoyed staying at this hotel. The staff was very friendly, the beds were extremely comfortable, and the location was perfect for visiting all of the historic Lincoln sites. We ate in the hotel restaurant three times during our stay. My husband said it was the best burger he ever had! I had the prime rib and it was excellent. Our server was Sean - very friendly and very prompt to attend to our every need!
RECENT REVIEWS for the ABE LINCOLN:
SOME OF THE TOP THINGS TO DO in
SPRINGFIELD:
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library &
Museum
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Dana-Thomas House, a Frank Lloyd
Wright ‘Hidden Treasure’
Lincoln Tomb & War Memorials
Lincoln Memorial Gardens
Lions of IL State Convention
The Abe Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, IL, site of the:
2016 State Convention
May 20th through
May 22nd, 2016
SAVE THE DATE and plan on joining us for some: FUN,
FELLOWSHIP & FULFILLMENT!
More to come next month!
Rates for Convention = $99 + tax per night!
COME EARLY OR STAY AFTER THE
CONVENTION AND ENJOY ALL
SPRINGFIELD HAS TO OFFER!
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MD1 State Convention e-Magazine Edited & Published by PDG Austin D’Souza for
Lions, Lionesses and Leos of Illinois. e-Mail Address: [email protected]
Mail your articles, pictures and news items to above e-mail address.
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