LCIF Providing Relief for Pakistan Flooding

Lions Clubs International Foundation is committed to aiding communities affected by disasters, including the most recent disaster in Pakistan. As of August 5, US$10,000 has been awarded in emergency funding. Lions Clubs International Foundation awards approximately US$2 million each year in emergency grant funding, in addition to grants for larger disasters. More than 4 million people are stranded following the deadliest flooding in 80 years. Monsoon rains began July 22. As the Indus River continues to rise, additional areas of the country are forecasted to be flooded in the coming days, affecting an additional 1.5 million people. Lions through Multiple District 105, British Isles and Ireland, have issued an appeal to raise funds locally. These collected funds will be sent to LCIF to support immediate and long-term relief efforts. Lions worldwide can support relief efforts in Pakistan by sending designated funds. Donors can:

• Donate online. Select Disaster and include “Pakistan Flooding Relief” in the comments section.
• Make a credit card donation with a MasterCard, Visa or American Express. Fax the following information to LCIF: name, address, phone number, credit card type, credit card number, expiration date, and amount of the donation. If you are a Lions member, please provide your clubs information. LCIF's fax number is (630) 571-5735.
• Mail LCIF a U.S. dollar check drawn on a U.S. financial institution. Make the check payable to Lions Clubs International Foundation, noting "Pakistan Flooding Relief" in the memo. Please send the check to LCIF, 300 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA, Attn.: Donor Services.
• Make a direct deposit of local currency into an existing LCI account. Send a copy to LCIF via fax to (630) 571-5735.
• Do a direct wire transfer. For assistance with this option please contact LCIF Donor Assistance.
• Complete the single or multiple donor disaster donation form.

Shine a Light on Youth

This month, Lions around the world are focusing on including young people in service and meeting the needs of youth in thousands of ways including painting playgrounds, providing care packages for children's hospitals and collecting school supplies for children who have none. In addition to shining a light on youth, be sure to shine a light on Lions! Publicize your activity in the community and invite potential members to participate. Read further for "Engaging our Youth" publicity materials and tips.

Retired North Carolina Pilot Elected President Of Lions Clubs International

Sid L. Scruggs III, of Vass, North Carolina, USA, was elected president of The International Association of Lions Clubs at the association's 93rd International Convention, held in Sydney, Australia, June 28-July 2, 2010. President Scruggs is a retired military and commercial airline pilot and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. As president, Scruggs will lead the association that has more than 1.35 million members in more than 45,000 clubs in 206 countries and geographic areas around the world. He will also help set the direction for Lions Clubs International Foundation and the foundation’s SightFirst Program, a US$343 million effort to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness. President Scruggs is an experienced and effective leader with particular strength in leadership training, the mentoring of future leaders and membership development. Using as his presidential theme "A Beacon of Hope,” Scruggs will make service to others – the core principle of Lions clubs around the world – the focal point of his presidency. A member of the Vass Lions Club, he has held many offices in the association. In addition to his Lions activities, he is chairperson of the board of directors of the Governor Morehead School for the Blind, a member of the board of the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind, Inc., and a life member of the American Airlines Grey Eagles Association and the Naval Academy Alumni Association. In 2010 Scruggs was elected to the United States Blind Golf Association Hall of Fame. He has also been presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest award given by the State of North Carolina, and an honorary doctorate of humanities from World University. Lions clubs are known for their efforts to preserve sight and eradicate blindness, as well as their commitment to community service and helping youth.

May Audio Podcast with Messages from President Wirfs and LCIF Chairperson Brandel

Announcing, two new May audio podcasts have been added to the Leadership Resource Center. These messages from Lions Clubs International President Eberhard Wirfs and LCIF Chairperson Al Brandel are timely, focused on current events, and preparing for the end of Lions year. Listen to what your Lions Clubs International officers have to say. Please share this link with your club members and officers.

Audio Podcast Messages from Lions International Officers

Something new has been added to the Leadership Resource Center on the Lions Clubs International Web site. In January, audio messages from Lions Clubs International President Eberhard Wirfs and LCIF Chairperson Al Bradel were recorded and posted online. These audio messages are timely and focus on current events and upcoming programs. You can download the mp3 files, and play them on your computer, ipod or mp3 playing device. To listen to these podcasts on the computer, you can use Windows Media Player, Real Player, Quick time player or other player software. Please share this podcast with your club officers, members and district Lion leaders.

Employ a Double Membership Strategy - Message from President Eberhard J. Wirfs

Helen Keller, who had all the reasons in the world to lack a positive outlook, once said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Lions, every instance of our service is a shining moment of optimism and faith. We believe we can uplift lives and improve our communities. Indeed, that’s what Lions have done for 93 years. We need to keep sharing that optimism with our fellow club members and keep them in the fold. Let me emphasize that membership worldwide is up thanks to strong recruiting efforts. But it could be even better if clubs made a greater commitment to retention. Lions, we need a double membership strategy. We need to extend clubs and we need to improve retention. This really can be done only at the club level. The Lions who are leaving are your club members, your friends. You know their hearts and minds and what keeps them happy and satisfied. Certainly, a large organization such as ours will lose many members every year due to non-payment of dues, club cancellations, death and other reasons. But nearly 40 percent of members who left us last year resigned in good standing. They simply decided their club was not meeting their needs. Retention starts with induction. We need to recruit qualified members: people who want to serve, who can pay their dues, who have some stature in the community. Then we must nurture them as Lions. The first four years are critical. Make them feel welcome and important. Listen to them. Heed their advice. A club can’t cater to the wishes of the few but must respond to its entire membership. Make sure meetings are punctual, lively and interesting and that club activities are frequent and engaging. Most clubs do this most of the time. Let’s be able to say all clubs do this all the time! Plant your Ginkgos and make MOVE TO GROW sustainable. Lions Clubs International has excellent tools to improve your club such as self-evaluation kits and pamphlets on improving club dynamics and meetings. A better club will lead to better retention. Retention is critical for us to do even more service and to keep clubs strong and healthy. Our purpose is to serve society but to do that well we have to serve our clubs, too, by making them attractive for members. I know that Lions never fail when challenged. Take this as another challenge. Move to Grow this year and move deliberately and intelligently to hold on to your members.

Contact the Leo Panel

The Leo Club Program Advisory Panel represents Leos and Lions in their respective constitutional area in matters which affect the Leo Club Program. The panel acts in an advisory capacity with Lions Clubs International as it evaluates issues related to the program. If you have ideas about the Leo Club Program, share them with your panelists. Items which impact the program will be presented to the Lions Clubs International Board of Directors for consideration and final approval. Constitutional Area I Lion Margaret McHugh Maine, USA E-mail: phonldy@aol.com Constitutional Area II Currently, there are no panelists in this area. Constitutional Area III Lion Jorge Troetsch Panama E-mail: jrtch63@hotmail.com Constitutional Area IV Leo Per Saal Germany E-mail: per.saal@leo-clubs.de Lion Dieter Van Hoye Belgium E-mail: wacouni@skynet.be Constitutional Area V Leo Cathy Wong China E-mail: ball@tmleo.org Constitutional Area VI Currently, there are no panelists in this area. Constitutional Area VII Lion Martin Peebles Australia E-mail: mpeebles_504@hotmail.com For more information contact the Youth Programs Department at leo@lionsclubs.org.

Lions Clubs International Foundation to Provide Relief for Haiti

LCIF is in contact with Lions in Haiti, as well as neighboring Latin American countries and Lions leadership in the area, to assess the situation and determine immediate needs and how Lions and LCIF can best assist. LCIF plans to award grant funding to help provide for immediate needs for victims of the devastating earthquake. A powerful 7.0 earthquake ravished the island nation the evening of Tuesday, January 12. Much of the capital city of Port-au-Prince has been destroyed, and it is estimated that 3 million people, nearly one-third of the country's population, has been affected by the earthquake. Precise casualty numbers are unknown at this time, but significant loss of life is feared. Countless buildings and other infrastructure have been decimated. Rescue efforts remain ongoing at this time. Donors can assist Haitian Lions and Lions Clubs International Foundation in responding to this disaster with a designated donation to the "LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief" Fund. Once more information is known on this disaster and Lions' and LCIF's response, it will be posted on this Web page. Please continue to check back regularly for updates. U.S. donors can:

• Mail a check to LCIF. Make the check payable to LCIF. Send the check to LCIF, 300 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA, Attn.: Donor Services.
• Make a credit card donation with a MasterCard, Visa or American Express by calling LCIF at 630-571-5466, ext. 517 or 581. Call between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST.
• Donate online. Select Disaster and include “LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the comments section.

• Make a credit card donation with a MasterCard, Visa or American Express by faxing to LCIF the name of your credit card, credit card number, expiration date and amount of donation. LCIF's fax number is 630-571-5735.
• Mail LCIF a U.S. dollar check drawn on a U.S. financial institution. Make the check payable to LCIF. Send the check to LCIF, 300 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA, Attn.: Donor Services.
• Make a direct deposit of local currency into an existing LCI account. Send a copy to LCIF via fax (630-571-5735).
• Do a direct wire transfer. For assistance with this option or the other donation options, contact LCIF Donor Assistance at donorassistance@lionsclubs.org or by phone at 630-571-5466, ext. 404.
• Donate online. Select Disaster and include “LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the comments section.

Grant Funding Available for Leos

The Leo Leadership Grant Program provides financial assistance to a Lions multiple district, sub-district or single district (not part of a multiple district) to help finance a Leo leadership conference. The goal of the program is to further develop Leos’ leadership skills, specifically in the areas of: • Project management • Communication • Teamwork • Creativity/innovation • Planning community service projects Lions Clubs International will award a maximum of two US$2,000 grants per constitutional area each fiscal year and will approve eligible grants on a first-come, first-served basis. Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until May 1 of each fiscal year. For more information about the grant program visit the Leo Zone. To find out if there is still funding available in your constitutional area e-mail leo@lionsclubs.org.

Lion Recognized by World Health Organization for SightFirst Efforts

Oak Brook, Illinois, December 18, 2009 – The World Health Organization has recognized Lion Dominique Coste for her SightFirst efforts toward eliminating onchocerciasis in Cameroon. SightFirst is Lions Clubs International Foundation’s successful program to save or restore sight to millions of people worldwide. She has been project chairperson of SightFirst projects in Cameroon since the first grant to the country in 1992. Coste passed away November 4, 2009. She gave countless hours to helping the less fortunate, both in her home country of Cameroon, as well as throughout all of Africa. A native of France, she resided in Cameroon. Initially scared to take the medication, Dominique’s kind smile and friendly words, erased all fears and made the villagers anxious for each dose of Mectizan, the drug to control and eliminate the spread of onchocerciasis, or river blindness. They knew they would not live a life of blindness like their grandparent’s generation. She also helped construct homes for the disabled through Lions partnership with Habitat for Humanity. She took great delight in improving people’s lives. Through LCIF, Lions are providing miracles every day, everywhere that are having a lasting impact on so many lives. Read the full tribute on the World Health Organization's Web site. Lions Clubs International Foundation is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International, the largest service club organization in the world with more than 1.3 million members in 205 geographic areas and countries. LCIF was ranked by a Financial Times' study as the number one non-governmental organization with which to partner. Learn more about LCIF online.