Together— INTERNATIONAL We Servelionsclubs.co.za/410d/newsletters/mar13.pdf · lar stops was the Nestle Bar One tent where chocolate slabs and chocolate bars were on sale at very

Let us not forget our own projects and let us support them just as enthu-siastically so that the public becomes more aware of who we are and what we do.

Don’t forget to hold your Club elections during April and send in the names of your new office bearers. There will be training for the incoming Presi-dents, Secretaries, Treasurers and Zone Chairpersons soon and I encour-age you to attend these sessions.

Let us go all out in the last three months of this Lions year in our mem-bership growth and our service projects.

Yours in Lionism

Russell

Hello All

A very sincere wel-come to all new members inducted this year. You have joined the world’s largest service club organization and we are proud to serve with you and trust that you will enjoy being part of Lions Clubs International. More important than being the world’s largest ser-vice club organiza-tion is that we are a family organization. We treat each other as family, we en-courage fami ly members to join our clubs and we like to get together as a “family”, too—at club raids, dis-trict conferences and district and multiple district conventions. Even if you have only re-cently joined Lions

you are not too new to attend our Aloe Coast Convention to be held in East Lon-don at the begin-ning of May and it is not too late for you to register. This is the ideal oppor-tunity to learn more about the organiza-tion that you have joined and to meet Lions from all over Southern Africa. The Convention is held in our District only every four years and your sup-port and attend-ance is needed for this to be a success.

Well done to those Clubs that took part in the Cansa Relays for Life in their are-as. There were quite a few that en-tered teams or ran food stalls and you all had great fun serving in this way.

From the Driver’s Seat

L I O N S C L U B S

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Together—

We Serve M A R C H 2 0 1 3

N E W S L E T T E R O F D I S T R I C T G O V E R N O R R U S S E L L V O L K E R

"Let us go all out in the last three m o n t h s of this Li-

Inside this is-sue:

The pro-gramme for the Al-oe Coast Conven-tion—have you regis-tered yet? Closing date is soon.

Pictures from some of our Clubs—we need to see what the rest of you are doing!

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ALOE COAST CONVENTION

T O G E T H E R —

Programme Wednesday 01 May 2013

09h00 - Council Meeting—Buffs Club

19h00—PDG’s Dinner—Buffs Club

Thursday 02 May 2013

09h00—Cabinet Meetings—Buffs Club

15h00 Workshop—Buffs Club

19h30—Welcome Evening—Buffs Club

Friday 03 May 2013

09h00—District Conventions—Buffs Club

16h00—Committee of the Whole—Buffs Club

19h00—Banquet—Buffs Club

Saturday 04 May 2013

07h30—Incoming Presidents’ Breakfast—Buffs Club

09h00—Multiple District Convention—Stirling High School

09h00—Partners in Service Brunch—Buffs Club

12h30—Melvin Jones Lunch—Old Selbornians Club

For those not attending the Melvin Jones Lunch, a light lunch will be for sale with limited cash bar facilities at the Stirling

High School

19h30—Farewell/Theme Evening—Buffs Club :

THEME: SHIPWRECK

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T O G E T H E R —

Dear Lions,

In the northern hemisphere, the month of March is a transitional period. The snow has stopped falling, the temperatures are warming, and plants and trees are once again beginning to blossom. It is spring. A time many people refer to as rejuvena-tion. The same can be said for Lions Clubs International. March is the perfect time for clubs to invite new members, and for districts to charter new clubs to close out the year with a strong finish.

This month, clubs and districts will be holding the third of four pit stops. This is the time for clubs to review their accomplishments so far this year, and plan your calen-dar for the remaining four months – to include activities in support of the fourth Glob-al Service Action Campaign Protecting our Environment. There is also time to par-ticipate in the Reading Action Program (RAP), or do your second or even third RAP project. And clubs can still qualify for the Club Excellence Award.

Last month, district governors received an email explaining how to qualify for the Winners Circle Award, which will be based on the end of March membership and club numbers. The award criteria were specifically designed so all district governors still have an opportunity to receive an award. Even districts that are currently show-ing negative growth can qualify for an award with just a little more acceleration.

This is indeed a very busy time of the year. Club presidents and district governors have four months left in their respective terms. Keeping your engine running at high speed will ensure your year ends on a high note.

Finally, I want to urge you all to register for the 2013 International Convention in Hamburg, Germany. This year's convention is going to be one to remember. High-lights include our international parade, keynote address by former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush, and presentation of the Humanitarian Award to opera singer Andrea Bocelli. As part of his acceptance speech, Mr. Bocelli will perform live.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Hamburg. In the meantime, there is much to be accomplished. So make sure your engines are tuned up as we sprint toward the finish line!!

Sincerely,

Lion Wayne Madden

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At the East London Cansa Relay for Life—feeding the hungry all night long

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N E W S L E T T E R O F D I S T R I C T G O V E R N O R

Leos distributing Easter eggs in the community

Scenes from—and seen at—the George Cansa

Relay for Life

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A small but extremely hard-working Lions Club enjoying the privilege and joy of inducting a new member into their midst—they now have extra hands to help them perform even greater acts of service. Welcome, fellow Lion!

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CANSA Relay For Life 2013 (By Jan Hopkins)

One person can make a difference, and in May 1985 Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Colorectal Surgeon from Tacoma, Washington USA, was that person. Dr. Klatt wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society and he decided to personally raise the money by doing something he enjoyed – running mara-thons.

In May 1985 he spent a grueling 24 hrs. circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, running more than 83 miles. Friends paid $25 to run or walk with him for 30 minutes at a time, and he raised an amazing $27,000 for the fight against cancer. In 1986 he encouraged 19 teams to take part in the first team relay event and raised $33,000. This event has grown into the world’s largest global movement in the fight against cancer, and 22 countries now take part simultaneously on the same date each year in this truly global phenomenon to raise much-needed funds in the fight against cancer.

In East London last weekend I took part in the CANSA Relay For Life at the Jan Smuts Stadium, along with eight other members of the Fort Beaufort Lions “Pink Hatters” team, namely Jean Thomas, Rina and Euen Flanegan, Michele vd Decken, Dudley Wheelwright, Cliff Hopkins, Kim vd Decken and our Lion Mas-cot Mufasa. This was an overnight event, because cancer doesn’t sleep, and started with the Opening Ceremony at 5.00pm on Saturday, closing with the Final Lap at 5.30am on Sunday. The only commitment teams had to make was to ensure at least one team member was walking on the track at all times. We were joined by 230 other teams from schools, churches, youth groups, other service organizations, busi-nesses, family groups, clubs and the VIPs the Survivors, all sharing a common purpose – the desire to fight cancer and to support CANSA in its work. A totally amazing amount of over R710, 000 was raised in sponsorship, donations and fundraising, and as a team we collectively completed 186 laps of the 400m track and raised over R3, 000. The Fort Beaufort Lions would like to thank the following who made gener-ous donations, Rosanne Fetting, Total Fort Beaufort, Maria Pieterse, Andre’s Auto, Royal Supermarket, Delyn Security, FB Bowling Club, Jean Thomas, Shu In, Avon Butchery, Rudi Voges from FB Pharmacy and Dr. Cilliers.

After the opening ceremony there was a very moving “Lap of Honour” of more than 220 Cancer Survivors together with Caregivers. The Survivors were treated like VIPs, each receiving two lovely goody bags and were then clapped and cheered around the track during their first lap, led by a joyous marching band. It was then the turn of the Teams to take to the track, complete with their mascots, banners and costumes, cameras were flashing everywhere, and now I know what it must feel like to parade around the stadium at the beginning of the Olympics, very moving and exciting. It was then down to serious relaying. There was lots of encouragement and support throughout the 12 hours. Music to keep us motivated: a very colourful and entertaining display of belly dancing, Karaoke, lots of food and drink to keep us fed and watered and many “crazy laps” at various intervals, such as a “crazy hat lap”, a “pyjama lap” and who cannot forget the hilarious “Midnight Madness” cross dressing lap? where imagination ran boundless. One of the most popu-lar stops was the Nestle Bar One tent where chocolate slabs and chocolate bars were on sale at very low prices. There was a constant crowd queuing until after midnight when they finally sold out. Their takings of R72, 300 were donated to CANSA.

The only time relaying came to a standstill was during the very moving and meaningful “Luminaria Cere-mony” where the stadium lights are turned off just after sunset, and the candles are lit in the decorated Luminaria Bags that encircle the track where everyone gathers around to pay tribute and remember those lost to cancer, to support those still fighting cancer, and to celebrate those who have survived. The bags were beautifully decorated “in memory of….” and this was perhaps one of the most moving events of the night.

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CANSA Relay For Life 2013 (ctd)

(By Jan Hopkins)

A “wall of hands” had also been created by several primary schools in East London. Paper hands had been cut out and messages written on them which were then taped to the fence around a short portion of the track, creating a beautiful and moving wall of hands waving in the breeze. This was the fifth year that the East London Relay For Life took place, and there were so many things that made it so memorable and unforgettable. I would like to thank the CANSA staff in East London, their sponsors and supporters who made the event possible, the service organizations and clubs who provided food and drink, the ambulance staff who also stayed awake all night relieving aches, pains and sore legs, and also to all the other teams who took part. I am sure we will be back next year and this Relay For Life will grow from strength to strength.

Of course, Mufasa was there, too!

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Easter treats were well received and the Gonubie Lions

enjoyed spending time with special folk in their community

Hard at work preparing for the Aloe

Coast Convention

Lions and their “victims” at the

Cansa Shaveathon

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At the East London Cansa Relay for Life—the younger ones stayed all night, those longer in the tooth put on a brave show but faded early

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Port Rex Lions club sponsored a children’s diabetic camp in East London during March

Making the best burgers in town—at the East London Cansa Relay for Life

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N E W S L E T T E R O F D I S T R I C T G O V E R N O R

The St Croix Lions were out in force at the PE

Cansa Relay for Life

And providing sustenance at the

local race track

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Getting the Peace Poster Contest off to a good start

Working through the night at the Swellendam Cansa

Relay for Life—1VDG Herman was the organiser

Swellvin continues to visit the old and the young

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Working hard at the Ratel Ralley

Official visit by DG Russell and presentation of Melvin

Jones Fellowships

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District Governor Russell Volker

P o Box 13 KING WILLIAM’S TOWN

5600

Phone: 0825795824

E-mail: [email protected]

In a world of need and suffering, there is someone to help. And in a world of service, there is one name that stands out among oth-ers – Lions Clubs International. That’s what we do.

The theme for the 2012-2013 year, In A World of Service, reflects the values that have been underscored for years by Lions. We are a network of over 46,000 clubs around the world, each one making a real difference in their respective communities. We may come from different backgrounds and different cul-tures, but we share a common value – WE SERVE. Lions combine their dedication, preparation and teamwork to achieve ex-cellence

LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 410D

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” Helen Keller