Who are the Lions?

1
Who are the Lions?

• Almost Everything you Ever Wanted to Know About
  Lions but Were Afraid to Ask
• Mouse Click on screen or page down to advance
• Right click to choose full screen

2
Lions History

• Melvin Jones started with the Business Circle of
  Chicago.
• Melvin believed that the club should expand from
  personal concerns to the betterment of
  communities.
• The Association of Lions Clubs was formed at a
  convention of business groups in 1917.

3
Lions History

• The constitution, by-laws and code of ethics were
  approved at that convention
• A key feature of the code of ethics was that no
  club shall hold out the financial betterment of
  its members as its object.
• The greatest impact on the association was when
  Helen Keller spoke at the convention, charging
  Lions to ...become Knights of the Blind.
• Another significant event occurred in 1987, when
  Lions Clubs International became the first major
  service club to admit female members.
• (See pages 13 - 15 of the Orientation Guide)

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Lions Clubs International Organization at a Glance
5
Lets Look at the Base-Lions Clubs International

• Official Name The International Association of
  Lions Clubs
• Motto We Serve, adopted in 1954
• Slogan Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations
  Safety
• Emblem

Looking forward, Looking back
(See page 25 of the Orientation Guide)
6
LCI Organization

• Board of Directors (32 members), one-half elected
  each year at the international convention
• Executive Committee
• President, Immediate Past President, two vice
  presidents, and one other member of the board
• Executive Administrator works with the
  headquarters staff of which there about 290
  workers in 11 operating divisions
• (See page 26-27 of the Orientation Guide)

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International Projects and Programs

• Lions Club International Foundation
• Charitable arm of LCI
• Disaster relief
• Grants for high-impact service projects
• Prevention of blindness
• LEO Club program
• Lions Youth Outreach
• Youth Exchange
• Quest
• Lions Magazine
• International Convention
• Other Programs no less important
• ( See page 28 31 of the Orientation guide)

8
Multiple District MD5M
683 Clubs 23,000 Members 12 Districts
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MD5M

• Twelve Districts, each with their own DG
• Districts 1-9 are entirely in Minnesota.
• Districts 10 and 11 are international, extending
  into Canada.
• District 13 is entirely in Canada.
• Council Chair (Bob Jechorek), elected by the VDGs
  from the DGs
• Executive Secretary (Bob Harms)

10
MD5M
The twelve district governors meet four times
each year (July, October, March and at the MD5M
convention) to carry on the business of the
multiple district. Those meetings are presided
over by the Council Chair, are open to all Lions,
and attended regularly by the various MD5M
program chairs.
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MD5M Projects and Programs

• Minnesota Lions Eye Bank
• Childrens Eye Clinic
• Macular Degeneration Center (MAC)
• MD5M Hearing Foundation
• Youth Exchange/Youth Camp
• Leader Dogs for the Blind
• Minnesota Hearing and Service Dogs, Inc.
• Other programs, no less significant

12
District 5M1
Goodhue
Dodge
Houston
Mower
13
In the Beginning

• Winona Noon -1935
• Rochester Host 1938
• Rushford 1942
• Austin Noon 1944
• Mabel - 1944

• Preston 1944
• Kenyon 1945
• Red Wing 1946
• Harmony 1947
• St. Charles - 1947

The clubs above were actually chartered in a
different district probably 5M6. MD5M was
redistricted in 1978, creating what are now 5M1,
5M2, and 5M3.
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District 5M1 Organization

• District Governor (Clair Mrotek)
• Vice District Governor (Ron Norton)
• Cabinet Secretary (Rosie Wadewitz)
• Cabinet Treasure (Mark Marreel)
• Three Regions (Barb Ernster, Jolene Schuldt,
  John Augustine)
• Six Zones (David Laechel, Larry Jerviss, Dave
  Hoot, Ross Heusinkveld, Ron Norton, Mike Shultz)
• Forty-nine Lions clubs, two LEO clubs, four
  Lioness clubs

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District Governor
District Secretary and treasurer
Vice District Governor
Three Region Chairs
Zone Chair
Zone Chair
Club
Club
Club
Club
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Region I Zone 1
Altura Kellogg Plainview St. Charles Winona
Winona Sun-up Branch Winona Rivertown Winona
Sunset
(3)
Region I Zone 2
(4)
Brownsville Caledonia Eitzen Hokah Houston La
Crescent Lanesboro Mabel Rushford Spring Grove
(2)
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Goodhue
Region II, Zone 3
Chatfield Grand Meadow Racine Rochester
76 Rochester Host Rochester Morning
Pride Stewartville Stewartville
Morning Stewartville Lioness
Olmsted
Dodge
(3)
(2)
Region II, Zone 4
Mower
(2)
Adams Austin Noon Austin Morning Austin Evening
Branch Harmony Lyle Ostrander Preston Wykoff L
yle Lioness
Fillmore
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Region III, Zone 6
Cannon Falls Goodhue Lake City Mazeppa Red
Wing Zumbro Falls Goodhue Zumbro Falls Goodhue
Lioness Lioness
Goodhue
Region III, Zone 5
Byron Dodge Center Hayfield Kasson- Mantorville
Kenyon Pine Island Wanamingo Zumbrota
Dodge
(3)
(2)
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District 5M1, Continued

• In total, fifty-four cabinet positions (including
  co-chairs), covering all of the major district
  programs and Campaign SightFirst II

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District 5M1 Projects and Programs

• Camp Winnebago
• Diabetes Education
• Emergency Relief fund
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hearing and Service Dogs
• LCIF
• Leader Dogs for the Blind
• LEO Clubs
• MD5M Lions Hearing Foundation
• Minnesota Lions Eye Bank
• Special Olympics
• Youth Exchange

• Lions Quest
• Peace Poster
• Long Range Planning
• 5M1 Convention
• Newsletter
• Public Relations
• USA / Canada Forum
• Womens Membership
• Campaign SightFirst II
• MERLO Team
• Environment
• Internet
• Liberty Day

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Your Lions Club
The primary reason for a Lions Club to exist is
to help the community.
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Your Lions Club

• Meets at least two times monthly
• Board of Directors
• Total Club
• Meetings are
• Prompt and organized
• Fun
• Informative good programs

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Your Club

• Has a
• Constitution
• By-Laws
• Is incorporated!!
• Has two separate bank accounts
• Administrative (dues, meals, postage, etc.)
• Project (Fundraisers, Service projects, all
  donations)
• Has committees

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Some possible club committees

• Diabetes Awareness
• Drug Awareness
• Environment
• Hearing Conservation
• International Relations
• Sight Conservation
• Youth Outreach
• Attendance

• Constitution and By-Laws
• Convention
• Finance
• Greeting
• Lions information
• Membership
• Programs
• Public Relations

25
Your Club Officers

• President
• One to three vice presidents
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• 2-4 Directors
• Tail Twister
• Lion Tamer
• Membership Chair
• Newsletter Editor
• Other (e.g. Peace Poster, etc.)

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Membership Categories
Category Dues Hold Office Vote Represent Active Ye
s Yes Yes Yes Member at Large Yes No Yes No Honor
ary Club pays No No No Privileged Yes No Yes Yes L
ife 500Club Yes Yes Yes Associate Yes No Yes No
Affiliate Yes no Yes No (Source LCI
Constitution and By-Laws)
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Dues

• International Dues
• (includes Lions Magazine) 39.00
• MD5M dues 8.30
• (3.00 of this drops off by 2009)
• District 5M1 Dues 9.00
• Total, not including LOCAL dues 56.30
• (1/2 billed semi-annually in July
• and January)

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You ---

• Have joined a Lions club that serves its
  community
• The club is a part of a district that has served
  its communities
• The district is a part of a multiple district
  that serves Minnesota and Canada
• The multiple district is a part of Lions
  International that serves the world.
• You have joined the biggest and best service
  organization in the world!!