Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Centennial Presentation at 1st Cabinet Meeting

The following report was presented at the 1st Cabinet Meeting on August 13, 2016, in Big Lake, Alaska
Submitted by Lion Nancy Norton
49A Centennial Coordinator

Centennial Service Activities, Legacy Projects, and Reporting in MyLCI

I was asked to talk about our Centennial Service Activities and Legacy Projects today and how to input them into MyLCI. 

Clubs are doing GREAT!  TEN clubs have reported Centennial Service Activities for July and TWO clubs (Wasilla and the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions) have completed ALL FOUR of the challenges already in July!    

Your Club Secretary is responsible for reporting service activities into MyLCI.  But it is up to ALL members of the club to come up with project ideas that qualify for the Centennial challenges and designate them as Centennial Service Activities or Legacy Projects. 

CENTENNIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES….
The four Centennial Service Challenges are:
  1. Engaging Our Youth
  2. Sharing the Vision
  3. Relieving the Hunger
  4. Protecting Our Environment

Even though Engaging Our Youth might be designated for the month of August or Sharing the Vision for October, clubs can do them any time of the year and get credit as a Centennial Service Activity.   Some times we report our event as Engaging Our Youth when it's actually US doing all the work AT a child's event.  Remember:  Engaging Our Youth is about ENGAGING our youth, not DOING FOR OUR YOUTH.  We want our youth to join us on projects, help with the decisions, lead, getting them involved.  They are our next leaders.  

Some times an activity might fall under two different categories.  Each Club can choose the category that best suits them.  For instance, some clubs designate eyeglass recycle as Protecting Our Environment because they're keeping eyeglasses out of the landfill; others as Sharing the Vision because they're giving the gift of sight.  Neither is wrong; both are correct.  

As your Centennial Coordinator, I have the ability to go into your club accounts and see what you’re doing.   Most are doing a great job of reporting your activities and especially your Centennial Service Activities.  A few might report, but then forget to designate that it’s a Centennial Service Activity.  And some haven’t input any service activities for years…  For those Clubs, I'm here to help.  

How are service activities different from Centennial Service Activities?  Not all service activities qualify as a Centennial Service Challenge.  For instance, the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions collects Boxtops logos.  Although these clipped logos are going to be turned into a school, they don't have anything to do with children or any of the four categories so it will be reported as a regular service activity.

If your service activity qualifies as a Centennial activity, you have to DESIGNATE it as one.  Click on Select Type (as shown in the picture below) to get a drop down menu of your activity options:  



The next screen shows different Activity Types to choose from as you scroll down.  Note that some options have changed recently.   



Again, a project might fall under one or two different categories; pick the one that best suits your club.  

The next step in reporting your Centennial project is to make the selection in the Centennial Challenge Box at the bottom of the picture.  By designating one of these options, you're notifying LCI of your project:  


Legacy Projects -- What qualifies and how to report them in MyLCI. 

A Legacy Project is a VISIBLE GIFT to your community that commemorates our Centennial and creates a lasting legacy of your service contributions. 
and
Also, that all Legacy Projects should be identified with a sign or plaque indicating the project was donated by your Lions Club. 

Note:  The LCI store has plaques specific for the Centennial that you can purchase. 

There’s a couple key words there -- VISIBLE GIFT and IDENTIFYING YOUR PROJECT WITH A SIGN. 

I will venture to guess that a Legacy Project will be:

  • A NEW project, not something you do over and over again.
  • It will be a project that your club has given great thought and consideration to before agreeing that it, indeed will have great impact on your community.
  • It most likely will not be a financial donation.
  • It won't benefit just one person.
  • It will be something tangible, that others will see, use, and enjoy for years to come.
  • It might be something so incredible that when others see it, they will be reminded just how much your Lions Club does for your community.  
Three Levels of Legacy Projects:

LEVEL 1 is very simple to accomplish and one all clubs should have no problem doing.  These projects Raise your community visibility:
  • If your down does not have a "Lions" sign at your city limits, get one!  
  • Provide a park bench in memory of a local Lion that has passed on.
  • If nothing else, plant a tree at a local senior center.  
Level one projects are simple to do.  They're quick and cost will be minimal.  All Clubs should be able to accomplish a Level 1.  

LEVEL 2 Legacy Project Provide a community gift:
  • Refurbish a city park or playground.
  • Donate a vehicle to a community organization.
  • Build a footbridge or construct bleachers at a ball park.  
  • The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions brought the USS Juneau Presentation Silver back home where it resides in the City Museum.  
These projects will be more INVOLVED, may take more time to coordinate with government agencies to complete, and have a larger cost.  

LEVEL 3 Legacy Projects will make a community impact:
  • Build a clinic.
  • Develop a training center.
  • Equip an area of a hospital
Our Newtok Water Project will be a Level 3 as will the Blond Bank if they get reported into MyLCI as such.  These projects are HUGE.  The impact is HUGE.  And the cost is HUGE.  These projects don't happen overnight or during one meeting.  

As you can see, Legacy Projects are visible gifts to your community.  
You're making an impact on your community.
You've given this great consideration.
Your Club has agreed that this would be a great legacy to your community.
You've planned and budgeted.
You've contacted all the parties that will help this project go forward.
You've created a timeline to get the project done.
You've got your volunteers.
You've notified your local newspaper that you're doing this incredible legacy project.
You've advertised on Facebook and other social media.
You've submitted a PSA to your paper.  
You have your work party.
You have your finished product.
Now what....?

You report your project in MyLCI.  

As mentioned, this is the job of your secretary, but if she is unable to report your activities, the President should designate someone else to do the reporting.  It's that important.

Remember that when you enter your Legacy Project, you can also qualify for one of the four Centennial Service Challenges.  For instance, if you PLANT A TREE, it qualifies for PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT and a LEGACY LEVEL 1 project.

You can select the service activity in the Activity Type drop down menu as well as your Legacy Level.   SEE EXAMPLE  below.   But you can only select one.  I’d select the Legacy Project in this step and then go to the next example to enter Centennial Service Activity Challenge (in the box in the bottom of the screen -- Protecting Our Environment.  You’ve covered them both.


So, to reiterate. . . .  Your Secretary is responsible for entering your Centennial Service Activities and Legacy Projects into MyLCI on a monthly basis.  In order for us to achieve the Centennial Challenge of serving 100 million people, it's important that we report "people served" as well as our Centennial challenge and legacy activities.

It's that simple.  A couple reminders:
  1. July 1 we started over with our Challenge for activities.  So even if you did challenges, starting July 1, starts a new year.
  2. You can do as many Centennial service activities as you want!
  3. You can do as many Legacy Projects as you want!  
  4. If your Club is a 100% Contributing Member, you can report your contribution in MyLCI and select one of the four challenges to cover it.  If you don't think you'll get a Protecting Our Environment challenge done this year and if your club donates to the 100% Contribution Member, select Protecting Our Environment.  
For any questions, please contact me at mikennancy@gci.net.

#Lions100

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Mertarvik Well Project Committee Report

The following was presented at the District 49A 1st Cabinet Meeting
August 13, 2016
Big Lake, Alaska

You Lions did it again.  There was a need that could not be solved by any other organization.  As background, the land at the village of Newtok is slowly getting eroded away.  They have selected a new site, have funds allocated to help move families to the new site, but have not been able to release those funds because there was not a suitable water supply.  Lions Bennie Benievento and Yvonne Temple of the Fairbanks Host Lions started working the issue and asked 49A for assistance since Newtok (Mertarvik) is in our area.  Roughly $30,000 was requested to put in a suitable pump at Mertarvik.  By the Multiple District Convention, over $25,000 of that goal had been raised and the project was a go.

In June, the pump was installed at a cost of $29,489.11 by Jon Dufendock, Camp Water Industries, and Aaron Cook, Cold Climate Housing Research Center and their crews.  The well is now functional and with the new pump can produce up to 5 gallons a minute.  Based on field test data, the water appears to meet the water quality standards to be a community well.  The water quality still needs to be confirmed with laboratory tests.  As of my last accounting, District 49A has raised $13,106; District 49B, including Host Lions, has raised $14,003.73; leaving $2,379.27 that still needs to be raised to cover the costs currently being carried by Jon Dufendock.  District 49B has identified a little over $1,000 that may be available but there still are funds that need to be raised.

Lion Andrea Meeks, Benton Bay Lions, is personally following the project and working with Newtok, the Denali Commission, and Dowl Engineering to make sure certification of the water system is approved for community use.  This will allow FEMA to release their appropriated funds to assist the village in their move.

We are currently looking into requesting an LCIF grant along with District 49B to help other villages that need to move with water issues that they may encounter during the process.

Respectfully Submitted,
Lion Larry Helgeson
Chairperson Mertarvik Water Project
#Lions100 -- Protecting Our Environment -- Legacy Level III

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

New Mountains to Climb, Part II... Leadership

In Part I of New Mountains to Climb, we compared mountains with challenges and needs of our community. The more mountains we climb, the more people we serve.

But most of us don't wake up in the morning and decide to climb a mountain range!  So how do so many people get served?

Good leadership.

According to International President Bob Corlew's theme paper, "Leadership is vision, knowledge, drive, confidence, optimism, openness, humanity, and caring.  It is direction and guidance that inspires dedication, confidence, and achievement.  Leadership is required to inspire and bring out the best in people.....  A leader must inspire others, and instill passion and direction to an individual or group of individuals."  

As we lead, we inspire others to learn and become leaders.  The more leaders, the more mountains we can climb.  "One key to our future is succession planning -- ensuring an adequate pool of knowledgeable, capable, enthusiastic, forward-thinking Lions leaders who will guide and support us for years to come."

"To climb to the top of a mountain, you need the right tools.  You also need the right tools to become an effective leader."  

LCI has many different training programs and resources to help us get the training we need to be that leader to take members over the next summit.   If you haven't already, check out the list of Webinars LCI has to offer or the Lions Learning Center.  Our District also offers training and attending the Mid-Winter Conference or Multiple District Convention might be just what you need to climb the next mountain.  Remember, the more mountains we climb, the more people we can serve.  #Lions100

Saturday, August 6, 2016

New Mountains to Climb, Part I

Have you read the July/August issue of the Lion Magazine?  Or read International President Chancellor Bob Corlew's theme on-line?  If not, you must.

According to International President Corlew, "Climbing a mountain is used as a metaphor for many daily situations people confront.  It represents something that is difficult and arduous and that takes maximum effort to scale.  But it is only by climbing those mountains that we ever excel to our fullest. Each mountain represents a new challenge--a new opportunity."

We all face challenges, some times daily, some more than others.  But one thing Lions have in common is our ability to see past our own struggles and challenges to help others in need.  We must continue to climb these mountains, finding new ways to serve not only our community but others around the world.  "Every mountain represents a new opportunity for Lions, and scaling each mountain provides each of us a chance to make the world better for another person."  And here, in Alaska, we aren't lacking for mountains to climb!

Have you ever considered what your town would be like if not for the Lions' presence?  Probably not. But take a minute to think about it or discuss at your next Club meeting.  What club projects have had the most impact in your community?

As part of our Centennial Celebration, we've been asked to do three simple things:
  1. Participate in the four centennial service activity areas:  Engaging our Youth, Sharing the Vision, Relieving the Hunger, Protecting Our Environment.
  2. Create Legacy Projects.
  3. Increase Membership.
Clubs are doing an awesome job participating in these areas, but now is not the time to stop.  The four centennial service activity areas are easy to do but clubs are struggling with Legacy projects.  

Legacy projects are visible and permanent gifts that will remind your community of all the great work your club performs every time they walk by the object or use it.  For instance, a park bench, a fountain, a new playground park for the children, a medical center, a sports field, a library for our children or senior citizens, or a Lions sign that welcomes visitors to your town and lets them know that mountains are being climbed.  You can plant one tree or a forest of trees; provide bus stop shelters; bike racks; or statues.  

Climb that mountain!  Connect with your community in a way you never have before!  

In International President Corlew's story, he writes, "We know from focus group surveys of non-Lions that our Lions logo is one of the most widely recognized among non-profit groups. Knowing this, let's be sure that our Lions logo is prominently displayed as a permanent part of your Legacy project.

It is Lions Clubs International goal to serve 100 million people by June 30, 2018.  How will they know if we meet that goal?  By monitoring what individual clubs enter into MyLCI.  The four centennial service activities NEED TO BE SELECTED for each activity.  If you do a new Legacy project, that, too, NEEDS TO BE SELECTED in MyLCI.  

It's time for all Clubs to consider what you want your Legacy to be in your home town.....  What will your's be?  #Lions100   Presidential Theme 2016-2017.

Monday, August 1, 2016

July Centennial Service Activities

Can we say AWESOME??!!  Clubs in 49A started the new Lion year out busy!

  • Soldotna
    • Sharing the Vision:  Picked up 62 pair of used eyeglasses from collection boxes around town and shipped them to the recycle center in North Pole.
  • Palmer
    • Engaging our Youth:   In the planning stages for their Special Santa Project.
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Play 60 with the Seahawks, an event designed to encourage children to get out and play 60 minutes a day.  
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Helped at a food bank.  
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Big Brothers and Big Sisters golf outing and fundraiser.  
  • Wasilla
    • Sharing the Vision:   Vision screening at the Ptarmigan Health Fair.
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Play 60 with the Seahawks, an event designed to encourage children to get out and play 60 minutes a day.  
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Senior Meals on Wheels
    • Protecting Our Environment:  Collected 200 inkjet cartridges.  Funds raised will support the PET scooter project.  
  • Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Donated food items to a local food pantry.  
    • Sharing the Vision:  Collected used eyeglasses from collection sites.  Provided $189 in financial assistance for an eye exam.  
    • Protecting Our Environment:  Set up collection boxes around town and collected 25 cartridges.  
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Weekly help at the local food bank.  
    • Protecting Our Environment:  Litter pick up.
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Assisted the Boy Scout Troop that the club sponsors at the annual concession booth for those in the parade staging area.  
  • Sutton Racing
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Motocross Race where members and youth of Sutton put on a race for all to compete in and the community to enjoy.  
  • Eagle River Sleeping Lady Mountain
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Hair and face painting booth at the 3rd of July booth. 
    • Sharing the Vision:  Bear Paw Parade.  We pulled our Vision Trailer in the Bear Paw parade, pulled small wagons filled with candy and passed out treats along the parade route. Thousands of bystanders along the 3 mile walk cheered us on and thanked us for all we do in the community!  
    • Engaging Our Youth:  Chamber Luncheon.  Start of Bear Paw we attended Chamber luncheon and donated 2 community scholarships for outstanding community service! We reviewed 13 portfolio's and essays to choose 2 outstanding students for their volunteering in our community. This is done annually during our Bear Paw festival.  
    • Sharing the Vision:  Vision screening at the 3rd of July event.  
  • Anchorage Mt. McKinley
    • Relieving the Hunger:  FISH Golf tournament.  Four members participated in a golf tournament to support FISH.  
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Donated $1,000 to Food Bank of Alaska.
    • Relieving the Hunger:  Delivered food boxes to the needy.  
    • Sharing the Vision:  Members volunteered at Campabilities, a camp for the blind.
  • Mountain View
    • Engaging our Youth:  East High School Football Players volunteer at the Mt View Lions Community Park.  59 East High School students participating in the football program plus a dozen coaches and parents volunteered with 13 Mt View Lions in various improvement projects at Mt View Lions Community Park. The boys and girls replaced boards on the bleachers surrounding the baseball fields, painted park equipment, cleaned bear-resistant trash containers, mowed & trimmed the park. Activities lasted over five hour including a lunch break of hamburgers & hot dog with lots of delicious & festive picnic fixings. The East High School students totally enjoyed working around the park and the Mt View Lions loved the help! 
Two clubs have already completed all four Centennial Service Challenges in the first month!  

#Lions100