DARE TO ROAR
SEMINAR SUMMARIES
FUNDRAISING - Gerry Lougheed

Gerry opened with fun and comedy and got each table of Lions involved in his presentation. We were told we need to Roar beyond these walls.
Thinking Heads - Working Hard - Feeling Hearts
Use any of your old ideas to raise money or a new one-anything may work so do not rule any idea out.
Ten things to do:

Get 100% commitment from people running the project.



NETWORKING - Lion Jack Isaman, PID


GO LIGHT YOUR WORLD
There is a candle in every soul, some brightly burning, some dark and cold. There is a Spirit, who brings a fire, ignites a candle and makes his home.

Refrain:
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light the world.

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to light own candle some other way. see now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to. Still holds a candle without a flame.

Refrain: repeat

We are a family whose hearts are blazing so lets raise our candles and light up the sky.

Refrain: repeat twice.



DEVELOPING WOMEN'S ROLES IN LIONISM - Lion Ellen Flechter

Drawing on her many years in Education and Lionism, Lion Ellen entertained and educated her audience and made many pertinent comments on the expanding role of women in Lions.

Important Points included:




FAMILY MEMBERSHIP - Lion Myra Kiernan

This is Lions international's newest innovation to support growth in Lionism. In a recent survey the current age of a Lion is 50+ years.

Family membership includes all members of a family living at the same address and who are related by birth or marriage and other legal means:

A family membership must involve a family as described above and joining the same club.

The family will receive reduced rates for joining Lions. $39 for the first new family Lion and the applicable entrance fee and then up to 4 more qualifying members over the age of majority in the same household shall pay 1/2 of the Standard dues - $19.50 USD and no entrance fee.

IMPORTANT - The Club Secretary must complete the on line certification form. This rate applies to not only new members but to lions Families who are already members. You must be registered by May 31st of this year.

A 2006 survey of Lions Clubs worldwide regarding family involvement suggested that 85% of responding clubs found that Family Membership would be of great benefit in increasing members in the 18-49 age group. In January 2007, 42 family oriented clubs were chartered.




LEADERSHIP AND EXTENSION - Lion Gary Michalak, Lion Bob Hobbs, PDG

A leader can be defined as a person who has dreams and visions and can cause others to catch sight of these dreams. Are you a Sapper of a Zapper? Who would you want on your board of directors?

What are the challenges that our leaders and Lions members face?

EXTENSION:

There are three ingredients to extension success: There has to be a need, Enthusiasm and Dedication. And remember people will forget what you said and did but will not forget how you made them feel.

There are four Lions Programs to foster Extension (expansion):
1. Can an area sustain a new club? There is a competition for resources and time that must be taken into consideration. Further, you must speak the language of the area and tailor the message to the potential members of a new club. eg., a farming community. Paint a picture of what Lions is about. Get community support to care about their community.

2. Enthusiasm: Outgoing and energetic perception needs to be portrayed. PRIDE in being a Lion needs to be communicated to your new potential Lions.

3. Dedication: You are looking for quality Lions - dedicated people -  not just 20 people. Address the positives and the negatives - that there will be people who will leave early in the life of a new club. It will take time, money and energy on the part of a dedicated Lion. Two guiding Lions will work with the new club and will bring confidence to the new Lions by working with them. The sponsoring Club should hold a first project with the new club.




MEMBERSHIP AND RETENTION - Lions Frank Reynolds, Andrew McRae, Hilary Kiernan PDG

HAVE YOU NOTICED
Some members keep their organization strong.
While other join just to belong.
Some dig right in.
Some serve with pride.
Some go along just for the ride.
Some volunteer to do their share,
While some lie back and just don't care...
On meeting days some always show,
while there are those who never go...
Some always pay their dues ahead,
Some get behind for months instead,
Some do their best...some let things go,
Some never help their organization grow.
Some drag...some pull,
Some don't and some do,
Consider now...which of these are you?

The 1920's saw the start of Lionism. From the 1940's to the 1980's Lionism grew and these were fun years as the Lions helped to rebuild the world. In the 1980's we experienced social change: both parents working, the what's in it for me attitude, and apathy-why bother. In the present we live in an electronic age of declining volunteerism. In Lions we are lacking younger members and the older one feel tired and overworked. In the MDA, 11 of 12 Districts have lost members. This year to date the MDA is down 146 members.

There are some possible solutions and here are four proven ideas to help your Club grow its membership:
1. Invite 2 potential Lions to visit your club twice. Bring a person out first to a dinner meeting and pay for their meal. Then bring them back to a business meeting so a potential new member can see what your club is about. Only then bring out a membership application.
2. Every member brings a guest for a dinner meeting. Any Lion not bringing a guest would pay a $10 fine to the TailTwister. Bring in a good speaker and leave the vests and uniforms at home. This is to be a fun night where you get to know potential new members and they get to know you.
3. Have an open house information meeting and advertise this to the general public.
4. Door to Door recruitment drive. Teams of three Lions - senior Lion, a new Lion and one in between. Introduce yourselves from Lions International and then:

Within your club you need to watch for splinter groups, absent members, review your induction ceremonies and have rules and regulations on how you conduct yourselves within your club. And remember that service projects are just as important as fundraising projects.

Retaining members is as important as recruiting new members - You need to keep your members involved and new members must be involved from the start.

Use the Ratings Guide and Questionnaires available from Lions International (these were available at the seminar). Examine weak spots within your club and develop an action plan to rectify Club deficiencies.

50% of new members drop within the first three years. Some of the biggest reasons for this are: long boring meetings, club cliques and politics and a lack of meaningful involvement.

Your Club needs the three person Membership Committee and this committee can be key in retaining your current members. For very useful information go to The Lions International website at www.lionsclubs.org and click on the MERL section of the website for useful information and tools.

Ten things you can do:
1. Good meetings
2. Allocate tasks your members would like to do, eg., Don't expect members to sell tickets who hate to do that
3. Show members that you care. Especially follow up when members are sick.
4. Don't over fine members
5. Involve all members in club activities
6. Bond through social events
7. Acknowledge the achievement of your Lions
8. Thank and praise work done
9. Give out awards
10. Deal promptly with disagreement and conflicts

New Members - Just Ask - Use the cards we are giving out at convention. And then carry the card: "Don't yell at me I am a Volunteer".

We, as Lions share common values and it is these values which help us prioritize what we do as Lions.

Order a copy of the LIONS TOOL BOX. It is divided into five practical sections from the Club's point of view:
1. Club Management
2. Member Recruiting
3. Member Retention
4. Service Activities
5. Special Incentives and Order Forms

HOW TO ORDER A HEALHTY CLUB TOOLBOX
1. Contact Membership Programs Department at LCI by phone: 630-571-5466 ext 390 (English Only)
2. E-mail at memberprog@lionsclubs.org
3. Fax 630-571-1691
4. Mail request to:
Membership Program Department
Lions Clubs International
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, Il 60523-8842
This extremely valuable resource is FREE! The ideas contained in this resource will lead you to a host of other publications, pamphlets and ideas.

And as you journey through your Lions year do not let negatives deter you from your task just keep on plugging away and remember
EVERY NO IS A STEP CLOSER TO A YES!


On behalf of the Dare to Roar Committee thank you to all who participated in our seminars, thank you to our Presenters and thank you to our Rapporteurs.

Frank Reynolds - April 15, 2007

Rapporteurs:Don McLeod, Helen Makala, Michel Chaumont, Bernie Piche, Diana Haaranen, Pat Bradbury





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