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March 2007 (Click Here for Newsletter Archives) Becky's Bits Dear Fellow Lions: It is great to be a Lion of District 2-X2! And, I wanted to share this information with you, so I held up the newsletter to share some awesome news with you. As most of you know, if you have been reading these newsletters, President of Lions Clubs International, Jimmy Ross was asked to come in last August by PDG Joan Houser to help with forming a new Hispanic club in Tyler. After months of emails and rescheduled trips, President Ross was able to come in this past week, February 26th and 27th, to not only help with one new club, but assist in helping our wonderful extension team put in two new clubs. They are, a Hispanic Club in Tyler, and a new club in Waskom. Due to my work schedule I was unable to be to be directly involved with the forming of these clubs, as Governor this truly bothered me since President Ross was in. But, I know that the teams I had asked to work did us proud and worked hard in getting these clubs together, not for me, but for the District and for President Ross. For this, I am grateful to each and everyone of the following Lions who came out and worked; PDGs Joan Houser and Carol French, Lions Tony Pena, Jimmy & Kathryn Strickland, Jim Chewning, Richard Killmon, Trey Casper, PDG Don Hamilton, Lions Lou Townsend, John Samples, PDG’s Leon VanAlstine, Bill Hurst, Don Francis, VDG Jim Merritt and Lions Bill Hogan and Robert Woods. You guy’s did a super job!! A big THANK YOU also goes to President Ross who took time out of his busy schedule to be here, Lions Ed and Bev Stebbins from Arlington who have come into our District (not once, but twice now) and trained us on how to hit the street and form a new club and PDG Wayne Meachum of Dallas who also showed up Monday to assist our team. These new clubs will help stop our decline in membership. As of January, we were turning our numbers around with only a negative 74. Up 12 members from December. I know that we can turn this number into a positive by the end of June 2007, but it will take all of us working together to make a difference. I challenge each of you, as leaders of your club, to lead by example and bring in a new member. As District Governor, I made a commitment to this District to do everything I can to improve membership. I just signed up my second new Lion for the year plus our extension team has now put together three new clubs this year, now go grab one friend, family member or co-worker and make them a Lion today! Oh, and be sure to check out next months newsletter for highlights of Canton’s 75th Anniversary with President Ross as their Guest Speaker. Yours In Lionism, DG Becky From The Desk Of VDG Jim Merritt Dear Fellow Lions: Congratulations are in order for the new Lindale Texas Lions Club – due to efforts of many Lions in that area along with International President Jimmy Ross. Fortunately, he is also coming to our District February 25-28th to work on grass roots organizing for additional clubs as well as for the celebration for the Canton Lions Club 75th Anniversary. If you are interested, and we certainly hope you are, call Governor Becky and let her know you are available to work on this project. Another important date is March 24, 2007. This is the date for the huge BBQ put on by 9 different clubs in the Longview, Marshall, and Tyler areas! See what can happen when we work together. Lions united together in the region become a strong force in our communities also and that is what Lion pride is about.. As spring gets closer, our Lions activity really speeds up. We just returned from the Council of Governors meeting in Kerrville, Texas where many things were under discussion in training seminars. Always keep in mind the meetings are open to all Lions and not just a select few and each Lion is important to the organization. Lastly but not least – this is the time of year to review your club’s goals and see what it take to accomplish these goals. At the District Convention, we want to celebrate what each club has done in Lionism. Begin nominations for new club officers and have them completed by April 15th. Reporting to International is so much easier now on line. Even if you think you are computer “challenged”, you can do it, especially with our training class in June. It is great to be serving alongside you, fellow Lions! Yours in Lionism VDG Jim Merritt District Charities Thank you to all the clubs who have previously paid their 100% to our District Charities. We are very close to being 100% in all the District Charities.  While I know that funds are tight in most clubs, I am asking that you look at making an effort before the end of June to be 100% to all of the District Charities.  This is a once a year donation that your club makes to organizations.  This is above any dues that you pay to them.  In some cases, this is how these organization function, is by our 100% donations.  Below I have listed each organization along with the amount they ask us to donate per member.  Can you find it in your budget to make these donations?  I hope so.  I hope that this is the year that every club in our district will be 100% to each of our District Charities.  For more information, please contact, Governor Becky Whitenack, 903-758-5058 or by email bcbeckyw@aol.com. Texas Lions Camp $10 Lions Club International Foundation $1 Leader Dog for the Blind $2 East Texas Eye Bank $1 Lions World Services for the Blind $2 Texas Lions Foundation $2 Texas Eye Glass Recycling Center $2 Total is $20 per member.  These funds can be taken from your Activity/Project Account District 2-X2 New Members Rosalie Catania - Canton Kenneth Yancey - Canton Jane Campbell - Canton Brandie Duncan - Canton Rona Watson - Canton Prissy Sweat - Canton Cody Crawford - Chapel Hill Doug Wicks - Cooper Larry Vandiver - Cooper Harold Watkins, Jr. - Cooper William Ray - Cooper James McDowell - Cooper John Cleveland - Cooper Shey Stegall - Cooper Mavin Tennon - Cypress Springs Tina Tennon - Cypress Springs Gary Jones, Jr. - Cypress Springs Robert Steeber - Daingerfield Scott Pollan - Daingerfield Morris Lyon - Detroit Robin Money - Dodd City Stuart Salchow - Edgewood Shirley Chase - Edgewood Jason Jones - Emory Pamela Moss - Gilmer Karin Tackett - Gilmer Cody Bouknight - Gilmer Brenda Brown - Gladewater Rodger Garbs - Gladewater Dennis Jones - Gladewater Trevor Rogers - Grand Saline Paul Donaldson - Hallsville Shelley Vaughn - Henderson Michael Duncan - Henderson Frank Polley - Henderson Melanie Poland - Kilgore Mark Rosen - Kilgore Bobby Bustin - Kilgore Kerry Wells - Linden Eucline Richardson - Linden Lisa La Caze - Linden Calvin Love - Linden Danny Duncan - Linden Bryan Hodge - Marshall Bob Cole - Marshall Charles Cobb - Marshall Carey Heaster, Jr. - Marshall Ed Perkins - Marshall Edith Phelps - Mar - Tex Dennis Dugan - Mar - Tex Larry Petty - Mt Pleasant Daniel Souza - Mt. Pleasant Mark Alexander - Mt. Pleasant Glenn Barfield - New Boston John Harrington - Paris Dia Dodson - Pittsburg Sara Totherow - Pittsburg Russell Brown - Quitman Lee Roy Gilbreath - Quitman Matt Brown - Sulphur Springs John McCullough - Sulphur Springs Donna McDaniel - Wake Village Jimmy Richards - Yantis Lake Fork District 2X2 Obituary Lion Weldon McCord - New Boston Noon PDG H.L. Ashcroft - Longview Lion Jack Pedersen - Hughes Springs Lion Howard Gipson - Winnsboro Lion Clyde Bowling - Mineola Lion Earl Roundtree, IV - Linden Lion Glenn Bevill - Yantis-Lake Fork Lion Ed Brinson - Longview Lion Paul Atkinson - New Boston Wilson Godfrey - Gladewater Vernon Alexander - Kilgore Thomas Kinney - Kilgore Lion Richard Morris, Sr. - Ore City Lion Thomas Cheatham - Edgewood Sight Awareness And Glaucoma Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization. The Lions Eye Health Program (LEHP) is a public awareness program that empowers communities to save sight through early detection and timely treatment of eye diseases, such as glaucoma. Your club can help raise awareness of eye health through various activities. To learn how, read and download the LEHP brochure, "How You Can Help Save Sight." The LEHP Community Education Kit is all you need to start an eye health activity in your community. Further information is available at www.lehp.org. Lions can also e-mail the Health and Children's Services Department for the brochure, "Blindness: Are You At Risk?" (IAD 182). A Word From President Jimmy Ross Lions clubs must continually grow, to never cease reassessing the manner in which they relate to their communities. Consequently, it is vital that every club engage in a periodic renewal, a time to revitalize itself. In doing so, the club will be energized to both provide services that are relevant to the community and meet the personal needs of not only the current membership, but men and women who are considering an opportunity to give of their time and talents in voluntary service. Let us make 2006-2007 the Year of Club Renewal and, in a word, "reinvent" ourselves through new ways of thinking and conducting business. If we are to move forward and enhance our image as the community's premier service club organization, we must, when necessary, replace old assumptions and attitudes that have outlived their usefulness and develop new ideas and approaches to community service that do, indeed, promise success. I encourage every Lions club at its very first meeting to closely examine everything that it does…service projects, membership growth, relationships with other community leaders and organizations, the way meetings are conducted…anything that relates to the strength and future of the club. There are, in fact, three precise steps to identify how to most effectively meet the needs of both current and prospective members. First, determine which of your activities are successful and create enthusiasm within the club. These should obviously be continued and, whenever possible, expanded. Also, I know that Lions dislike the thought of abandoning a project, especially one that has been a part of the club's calendar for many years. However, if, on serious examination, it no longer answers community needs and is unsuccessful, it simply must be dropped and replaced with a new program. All this is essential to what I call the Paradigm Shift. We cannot maintain activities and practices that are outdated and of little value. It is our responsibility as Lions and as community leaders to continually develop and implement innovative service projects and workable strategies to bring in new members. The best strategy for growth, I assure you, is to implement activities that members, and potential members, consider serious and important. In this way, and only this way, will we strengthen our clubs through membership growth. However, it demands a rigorous self-evaluation of where our clubs are and where we want to go. Let us permanently leave behind the concept of "but that's the way we've always done it!" This absolutely has to be stricken from our method of operation. New ideas must replace those that no longer work, and this can only occur when club members participate in open and constructive discussion. This is the open path to club renewal and development, and it will happen when Lions come together to honestly evaluate their situation and determine a course of action for tomorrow. This can only be achieved at the club level; it cannot be established from above. Each club must set its own targets for success, in both activities and membership growth. Analyze what is best for your community and for your fellow Lions, and then judge how you can go about reaching these objectives. A serious evaluation of your club is the key. Employ the three-step approach for club renewal and there is no question that you will be able to look forward to a bright and positive future. Texas Lions Camp The following clubs are 100% to Texas Lions Camp: Bogata Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Springs Daingerfield Detroit Dodd City Edgewood Gilmer Gladewater Grand Saline Hallsville Hawkins Henderson Jefferson (200%) Judson Kilgore Liberty City Linden Longview Marshall Matrix-Evening Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash New Boston Noon New Boston Evening Ore City New London Pittsburg Quitman Spring Hill Sulphur Springs Tyler Wake Village White Oak Windom Yantis-Lake Fork Leader Dogs The following clubs are 100% to Leader Dogs for the Blind: Bogota Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Spring Dangerfield Detroit Dodd City Edgewood Gilmer Gladewater Hallsville Hawkins 200% Henderson Jefferson 200% Judson Kilgore Marshall Mar-Tex Evening Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash Ore City New Boston Evening New Boston Noon Pittsburg Quitman Spring Hill Tyler Wake Village White Oak Windom Yantis-Lake Fork Texas Eyeglass Recycling Center The following clubs are 100% to the Texas Eyeglass Recycling Center: Dodd City Sulphur Springs Cypress Springs New Boston Bogota Mineola Marshall Windom Daingerfield Mt. Pleasant Jefferson (200%) Pittsburg Canton Ore City Gilmer Gladewater Wake Village Quitman Nash Detroit Chapel Hill Lions World Services for the Blind The following clubs are 100% to the Lions World Services for the Blind: Edgewood Dodd City Mineola Cypress Springs Mt. Pleasant New Boston Evening Sulphur Springs Windom Marshall Daingerfield Bogata Jefferson Ore City Pittsburg Canton Gladewater Wake Village Gilmer Quitman Mar-Tex Evening Nash Detroit Yantis-Lake Fork Tyler Chapel Hill New Boston Noon White Oak Grand Saline Judson Kilgore Chapel Hill District Calendar Of Events March- Elect cub officers for 2007-2008 March 17- Mt. Pleasant Lions Club Annual Talk-A-Thon - Contact Lion Barbara Duncan 903-572-2566 to donate items, buy an ad, or a list of items you can bid on. March 24- East Texas Lions Annual BBQ - Maude Cobb Convention 4:00 - 7:30,  $5 donation. All Proceeds to benefit the Texas Lions Camp. March 31- All outstanding balances paid to International, District and State April 2- Deadline for Queen’s Contest April 7- Nash and Wake Village Bucket Shake, 10:00-2:00, Intersection of Kings Hwy and Hwy 82 April 15- Deadlines for submitting PU101, (2007-2008 Club Officers report) April 15- Deadline for reserving your room for the District Convention May 4-5 District Convention in Longview, Exhibit Building; Mark Your Calendars; More Info to come May 5- District 2-X2 Annual PDG Garvis Gilbert Texas Lions Camp Walk A Thon June 10- Texas Lions Camp June 16 & 23- Club Officers Training School – Mt. Pleasant July 22-August 3- Diabetic Camp Have your events listed here by emailing Lion April McCright at aprilm128@aol.com The Governor's Calendar Feb 1-4 - Council of Governor's and Texas Lions Camp meetings in Kerrville Feb 5 - Daingerfield Feb 12 - Dodd City Feb 19 - Pittsburg Feb 19 - Detriot Feb 22 - Kilgore Feb 25-28 - Extension work with President Ross Feb 26 - Canton's 75 Anniversary Feb 27 - Judson