My Life as a Lion

The last few days Lions’ activities have all been about change. The Lions’ year runs from the 1st of July to the 30th of June so we are approaching the end of the current year and looking forward to the new one.
On Tuesday of last week was the last meeting of this year’s DG Team. Present were this year’s District Governor, Martin, his first and second Vice District Governors, Neil and Paul, and me as second Vice District Governor Elect. Much of the meeting was taken up with trying to help Neil fill the remaining places on his cabinet for next year.

For the uninitiated, Lions Clubs International is organised into Multiple Districts, usually countries or US states, and then into Districts. In the British Isles and Ireland Multiple District there are 13 Districts. Each District has a management committee known as cabinet and headed by the District Governor. There are usually 50 to 60 members on the cabinet each with a specific portfolio covering the administration of the District as well as promoting the numerous Lions’ service projects. Unfortunately not every Lion wants to get involved outside their club and this gives each year’s incoming DG a headache as he tries to find people to fill the posts.

The meeting finished with the arranging of the first meeting of next year’s team, Neil , Paul and me. Suddenly the future seems a lot closer and it will only be a couple of years, subject to being elected, before I am having to form my cabinet.

On Sunday was the last cabinet meeting of DG Martin’s year. It was followed by a brief meeting of next year’s cabinet giving Neil the opportunity to set out his plans for the year. As I will be chairing two committees next year, Long Range Planning and Communications, and sitting on a further three, Finance & Admin, Membership and Leadership, it was time this week to get some dates into the diary. I now have dates for four cabinet meetings, four LRP meetings, four F&A meetings and four Communications Committee meetings arranged between now and next June.
Tuesday of this week saw me at the final zone meeting of zone F at the Hilton in Bromsgrove in my capacity as Region Chairman. I took Christine along with me as she will be taking over from me next year. Zone F has had a very good year with a lot of activity at club level and a successful zone project, a girls’ rugby tournament.
Last night was my club’s social meeting which was turned over to me to facilitate further discussions about the club’s future. We had a very constructive debate about the structure and role of our committees and, although we didn’t reach any absolute conclusions, there were plenty of good ideas that will assist next year’s president, Tim, as he puts together his team.
In the meantime I have received the dates for my training over the next three years. A day in July, a weekend in June next year and another weekend in January 2013, the latter two including training for our partners. In a rush of enthusiasm, and as the e-mail inviting me to the training included the email addresses of my fellow 2nd VDGEs, I decided to contact all of them providing a pen picture of myself and inviting them to so the same. Everyone has responded so at least when we meet for the first time in July we’ll know a little about each other.

Looking to the future, I will be at a quiz being organised by Castle Bromwich Lions Club tonight and next week will be doing some training and handover activities with my planned successor as District Webmaster, Joy, as well as attending Zone E’s final zone meeting of the year. I’ll let you know how it all goes.

Lion Simon Moss
@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg