2012 Feb - Lions Australia

12
PATRICK the
Lion Namers
P
atrick makes it easy to track
down Lions and their wives
(not to mention Lionesses
and Leos!)
We’ve been making approved
badges for Lions Clubs International
for over 20 years.
In all the right shapes, sizes and
colours.
Talk to us about your requirements,
and you’ll see how we’ve gained the
lion’s share of the business.
84-88 Leveson Street, North Melbourne, Vic, 3051
Tel: (03) 9329 9200 Fax: (03) 9326 5010
From Council Chairperson Peter
As the New Year
begins Denise and
I wish all a
successful and
prosperous year.
With the New Year
comes a number of
events of significance
to the Multiple
District.
Our International
President Dr Wing–Kun Tam will visit and
attend a number of functions in Sydney and
Melbourne. In Sydney we will be chartering a
new Lions Club and in Melbourne we will be
chartering a Leo Club and three Lions Clubs.
Our own MD Convention will be held from
the 4th May to 7th May at the Burswood
Entertainment complex in Perth. If you have
not registered I encourage you to do so now.
Also, running from the 22nd of June until the
26th is the International Convention in Busan,
Korea. At this convention 2nd International
Vice President Barry Palmer will stand for
election as International 1st Vice President.
Also, the ANZIPacific Forum will be held in
Queenstown N.Z. starting 31st August. I hope
you can support these functions and help
make them a success.
Membership is still our major concern,
especially in the retention area. So far this
Lions year (to 31/12) we have inducted 1,283
new members into the existing clubs and this
is a good number – but the drop from existing
clubs is 1713, a negative of 430 members in
six months. We cannot sustain this level of
losses and continue to be a viable entity. If we
look at the figures in another light, we have
lost in six months the equivalent of 19.5
average size clubs. Whilst the number for the
Multiple District has increased (+23) it is the
chartering of new clubs that is keeping the
growth moving forward.
Shortly the Global Membership Team will be
moving into the next phase of the Club
Excellence Program – i.e. training the District
people as trainers for the CEP initiative.
Quite a number of clubs have asked for
assistance in the retention area, which is good
to see – and once we complete the training
program for the presenters, training for club
members will commence. This is an important
initiative as it will help in the retention of
members and allow us to grow the
organisation. Club participation is essential if
we are to address the back door escape route.
Lions Australia is a signatory to the “Australian
Year of the Farmer” and as the program is rolled
out Lions will have many occasions to join in as a
support organisation when the road show visits
your area.
The program, with the Governor General Ms
Quentin Bryce AC as Patron and Ambassadors
Glenn McGrath and wife Sara, has been developed
to celebrate the contribution farmers make to the
Australian community and is an education and
awareness campaign by a not-for profit, nonpolitical
organisation.
As part of the program a range of events,
initiatives and educational projects will roll out
across the nation through this year. Highlights will
include a nine–vehicle, one-country road show
travelling more than 56,000km to attend more
than 400 events. There will be opportunities for
Lions to demonstrate that we are in fact a part of
the community rural and urban.
Again Australia has lived up to its reputation as
a nation that can count on disasters occurring
each year. As I write this there are bushfires in the
west and floods again threatening communities in
Queensland and NSW. Each time we are faced
with a disaster, Lions respond with actions and
help that just amaze. I will have the opportunity to
see firsthand the devastation of the fires in W.A.
and what the Lions are doing in the area. Our
response to these disasters is a true reflection of
our motto “We Serve” and that our mission
statement is being pursued – “To empower
volunteers to serve their communities, meet
humanitarian needs, encourage peace and
promote understanding through Lions Clubs”.
Be proud to be a Lion and remember the Youth
are our Future. – Peter Clarke
From Executive Officer Rob
PERTH MULTIPLE
DISTRICT
CONVENTION
Have you registered
for the Perth
Multiple District
Convention?
The Perth
Convention will be
held from Friday
the 4th of May
2012 to Monday 7th May 2012 at the
Burswood Entertainment complex in Perth.
The Convention program is impressive with
many guest speakers from within and outside
Lion