November 2012 - Lions Clubs of Iowa

DISTRICT 9SW
Diana Benzing
District Governor
P.O. Box 364
Neola, Iowa 51559
Ph. 712-485-2243
E-mail: drbenzing@gmail.com
Sobering News: reduced hours
at State Office possible
Your Council of Governors just completed a weekend of
meetings in Pleasant Hill and learned some sobering news:
our current membership and dues structure will no longer
support a state office at the current rate of two full time
employees. Therefore, an Ad Hoc committee on Personnel
and Equipment recommended that the office be cut back
to 60%. In other words, the office would be open just 25
hours a week with a resultant decrease in staff time. These
recommendations might take effect only after a staff member
retires or could be implemented immediately, depending on
how the Council votes. A committee of District Governors
and others will look further into these recommendations and
present their findings to the Council in January. Please relay
your thoughts to DG Diana before then.
Quentin Carlson:
After 67 years, still a Lion!
When we sign on the line to become a Lion, we may not
think much past the next pancake breakfast or community
service project to consider where we’ll be as a Lion in years
to come. But some Lions when they sign on the dotted line
believe “Once a Lion, Always a Lion!”
Quentin Carlson is one of those. At age 92 Quentin is
nearing his 67th year as a Red Oak Lion, having signed on
January 1, 1946. What was the Red Oak club like in 1946?
“Well, we had 85 members in those days,” he reflected.
“We sold everything from brooms to light bulbs to raise
money.” The club sponsored a marble tournament for kids;
and of course, did many pancake suppers, too. They used
some of the money to give scholarships to local Red Oak
students. And they helped a blind Red Oak Lion acquire a
leader dog.
Quentin served as Tail Twister a time or two, putting out
song books for the club. “I still have my book,” he said with
a smile.
Despite really enjoying being a Lion, he nearly quit a few
years back, thinking he’d become too old. But his daughterin-law
Eileen Carlson, and current president of the Red Oak
club, convinced him to continue. So every meeting she stops
to pick up Quentin and makes sure he can still be a Lion.
What does Quentin think of modern Lions, with all the
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women members? “I think that’s just great! They help us do
a lot of things we were not used to doing.”
Any advice after 67 years? “Our Lions club is a good
place to meet people and have fun!” Sixty-seven years of
fun and counting!
Quentin Carlson of Red Oak gets a big hug from DG
Diana’s sidekick Leonard the Lion and Zone Chair Sharon
Johnson of Shenandoah Lions to celebrate Quentin’s
upcoming 67th anniversary of being a Lion. Past Council
Chair Ardie Klemish sent a special commemorative plaque
to mark the occasion.
Membership report:
We keep on rolling with the A-Team!
At this writing, 9SW is 30 members to the good!
1459 to 1489 – – Way to go!
Be sure to run the Recruiting Wheel with your
A-Team member! We have 26 more positive
members to go!
Here’s the Buzz
Adair: Two members donated 100 books for Reach Out and Read
program in Iowa. Lion Ardie Klemish chaired MD9 Promoting
Healthy Children Women’s Symposium. Two members attended
USA/Canada Leadership Forum in Tampa, FL.
Adel: Inducted two new members; collected $4,346.45 from
can bin this year. All money is put back into community.
Donated $800.00 for Eagle Scout project of building a platform
for band director at school. Talked with two other community
organizations about what more could we do for Adel.
Afton: Cleaned highway; took inflatables for Hospital Employee
Appreciation Night; organized high school Homecoming
parade; provided inflatables for Corning Homecoming.