Leos leap into service Convention highlights - Lions Clubs New ...

PID Cliff Heywood introduced PCC SherylJensen as New Zealand's candidate forInternational Director, saying: "Whenelected in Busan, Sheryl will take her placeon the international stage of Lions ClubsInternational. We should be very proud tohave a Lion of Sheryl's calibre speakingfor us on that stage. I truly believe she willbe an outstanding leader."Sheryl pledged her dedication to supportall fellow Lions, and said she trustedherself to deliver. To much clapping andhooting of horns by her fellow RotoruaSulphur City club members, Sheryl wasduly endorsed as the MD202 candidatefor International Director to representconstitutional area 7 in 2012 - 2014.Minutes of the 51st Convention wereaccepted, with no matters arising.Reports from the Council Chairman, DistrictGovernors, Executive Officer, ExecutiveManagement Committee, Legal Counsel,Treasurer, Youth Exchange Chairman,Young Speechmaker Co-ordinator, GMTand GLT, LCIF Co-ordinator, LMLCCTchairman, Child Mobility Foundation andLions Alert chairman were accepted.Miniature "wind wands" made novel votingsticks, modelled on the famous Len Lyesculpture on New Plymouth's waterfront.MD Leos co-ordinator Brian Grounds reportedon the increase of Leos clubs from 13 to 18,and said he knew of nine other schools orareas being canvassed for new clubs. He toldof one Auckland school, Sir Edmund HillaryCollegiate in Otara which has one club Y8-10and another Y11-13 - because there weretoo many kids for just one. Nine Lions havealso been gained from that school, and theOnehunga-Ellerslie Lions Club has gainedan 18-year-old 2nd vice-president who wasformerly president of her Leos club. She iscurrently studying at University and couldn'twait to become a Lion.Patea Lions Club’s newest Lion, Paki Hopkins (centre) performs with the famous Patea Maori Clubduring Friday night’s opening session.The Lions Clubs New Zealand ChildMobility Foundation has a new logo andwill launch a fundraising effort recycling themetal from old television aerials when thecountry goes entirely digital next year.Queenstown Lion Simon H ayespresented on the Heads Up For Kidsproject, recommending the appointmentof District co-ordinators and stepping upthe collection of old money and foreigncurrency, as the surface has barelybeen scratched.Karori Lions Club, as co-ordinators of anational appeal to raise $20,000 per year foran inspirational voyage for young disabledkids on the Spirit of New Zealand, askedClubs to generously respond to their letterthat would be coming out later this year.DG Lynette Batt invited all Lions toattend the 2nd ANZI Pacific Forum inQueenstown in August, promising a"remarkable" experience and the rareopportunity to rub shoulders with manyInternational Officers.Website technical adviser Rex Bullardupdated the Convention on the continuingdevelopment of www.lionsclubs.org.nz,pointing out that if someone was lookingfor a club to join, they'd probably go for onethat had bright and interesting informationon their club web pages, rather than onethat merely had a blank. A challenge hasbeen issued by the Lions of 202L to seewhich District in MD202 will have 100% oftheir Clubs with a landing page on the NewZealand Lions website first.Iain Morrison introduced the Convention tothe inevitability of using social media, withthe message that while current Lions don'tnecessarily have to understand or usesocial networking such as Facebook andTwitter, they have to realise that this is theway future Lions communicate now.Silverstream Lion Rex Bullard reported onthe success of the fundraising campaignfor the new Ronald McDonald House inWellington, with around $750,000 raised. Ifthe magic million can be reached, the LionsDen will occupy an entire floor.Remuera Lion Richard Simmons toldthe Convention of the success of theClub Excellence Process, offeringsupport to any Club that chose to takeup the opportunity to keep itself freshLION, South Pacific Edition | May/June 2012 9