July

Dear Club President,

Congratulations on your election as leader of your club! My most exciting and gratifying year as a Lion until now was the year I served as president of my club in West Hempstead, N.Y., U.S.A. I believe that you too are at the beginning of what will be one of the most satisfying years in your Lions career – and of your entire life. I look forward to sharing this year of leadership with you.

As we begin this journey remember that we are not starting from nothing. We are building upon the hard work and success of those who came before us. Please be sure to thank your immediate predecessors for their service – and please pass along my deep appreciation as well.

Our leadership year comes at an exciting time in the history of Lions Clubs International.

For the first time in 5 years we are members of a worldwide organization that is larger than it was the year before, and that achieved the largest increase in membership going back more than 15 years. We are succeeding in making our clubs more relevant to contemporary needs, more well-known in our communities and more attractive to prospective members.

But this is not just a matter of pride and popularity! Membership numbers are directly related to our organization’s very reason for being. Simply stated, more heads, more hearts and more willing hands mean more and better service to our communities and the world.

We should be very encouraged by last year’s increase in worldwide membership, but we must also take steps to ensure that this positive trend continues. Toward that end, I am announcing the establishment of the Global Membership Team, a 41-member group with representatives from all constitutional areas. The team will be chaired by Past International Director Michael Butler with Past International Director A.P. Singh serving as vice chair. To help increase the continuity of effort in this crucial area, the team’s members will serve for a three-year term. The GMT will work closely with existing MERL teams at the multiple district level and will also have representatives in each district. When appointed by your district governor these trained representatives will be a valuable resource for your club.

I believe that taking this step at the international level is a needed change but, in fact, continued membership growth rests largely on your shoulders. People join Lions Clubs, not a vast international organization. It is there that members find satisfaction and sometimes, unfortunately, disappointment.

This is something to which I can personally attest. Before becoming a Lion I joined another club that holds service and fellowship among its ideals. Sadly, this club fell short in both areas. As a new member I did not receive any orientation into that organization’s culture and practices. No one made it a point to include me in activities. My potential contributions were not treated as valuable and necessary.

In short, I did not feel welcome there. So I quit.

I have never regretted the decision to leave that organization and follow the path that has led me to the presidency of the International Association of Lions Clubs. But think how tragic it would be if your club lost someone whose leadership potential could bring our association to even greater heights of service!

The point of this story is simply this: retention matters. Take a close look at your club. Know your members. Know why they joined and what will keep them satisfied. Ask questions. Do not be afraid of feedback. It may make the difference between a healthy, vital club and one that is dwindling in size and commitment.

I urge you to continue the innovative recruitment practices we have established over the past several years and to ensure that your club maintains a high retention rate. To help in these areas an abundance of ideas and information can be found at http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/programs_mem_practices.shtml, and http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/programs_mem_mbrret.shtml.

This is certainly an exciting time for Lions Clubs International as a whole, but I strongly encourage you to create some excitement in your own club and community – innovate!

Try something your club has never done before. Search out the most pressing needs of your community and find new ways to meet them. . Once the needs are identified, consider using the October Growth Program to invite new members.

Perhaps you could follow the example of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the U.S. President who saw his country through some of the most difficult times of the 20^th century. Roosevelt had no fear of failure when deciding on a course that he thought would benefit his nation and the world. He said: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

Please remember that bringing new ideas and more capable hands into your club will make it much easier to “try something.”

Congratulations again on your election and I thank you for your service.

Sincerely,

Al Brandel

International President

LCI Web site Links

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/resources_learning_center.shtml

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/other_adopted_programs.shtml

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/programs_mem.shtml

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/pdfs/gmtlist.pdf

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/pdfs/gmtfaq.pdf

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/programs_mem_MERL.shtml