8. Centennial Volunteer Structure
PIP J. Frank Moore III, CAC Chair
PIP Joe L. Wroblewski, Honorary CAC Chair
Two representatives from each Constitutional Area
and Africa, plus key Board committee members
Lions Club Members
Multiple District and District leaders of Centennial
activities
Club Centennial
Chair/Committe
e
Clubs are invited to identify a Centennial Chair
and/or Committee to direct Centennial activities
Centennial
Coordinators
Centenni
al
Action
Committ
ee
Leadership
9. Celebration Action Steps
Talk about the Centennial with your club and invite
them to join the celebration
Choose a Centennial Club Chairperson and/or
committee
Create a plan for your club to Lead through
Service, Invite for Impact, and Connect with your
Community
Share your plan with your District Centennial
Coordinator — other clubs can benefit from your
ideas
Share the impact of your service on MyLCI at
10. Centennial Resources
• Planning tools and
resources for clubs on
Lions100.org
Centennial
Toolbox
• Apparel, banner, decals,
pins, patches and more
Centennial
Club Supplies
• 100 stories to share
starting in September
2015
Touchstone
Stories
• Short videos to share on
Lions history and impact
Centennial
Videos
11. Centennial Projects
• World-spanning pieces
come together in Chicago
2017
Centennial
Banner
• Collectable 1 oz. silver
coin available June 2016
Commemorativ
e Coin
• Main exhibit in Chicago,
plus traveling exhibits and
online
Centennial
Exhibits
• Dedication of Melvin
Jones statue at LCI HQ
Centennial
Memorial
Editor's Notes
As the title of this presentation suggests – we are getting ready for our Centennial Celebration. All over the world, Lions are getting excited – clubs, districts, and multiple districts are making their Centennial plans and implementing them.
We have more tools, more communication, more coordination, Centennial grants, stories, videos, and more to share as we Get Ready for Centennial.
There are three themes for Lions to embrace throughout the Centennial and beyond:
Lead through Service – the foundation of our organization was built upon two words – “We Serve.” The tradition of serving others – meeting the needs of local communities – continues today, and sets Lions apart from others. Service to others is one of the highlights of our Centennial. All clubs have an opportunity to participate in Centennial activities through the Centennial Service Challenge.
Invite for Impact – as the needs of our communities continue to escalate, we must grow our membership to meet those needs. We know through data that for every new member who joins a Lions club, we can impact the lives of 30 people. 10,000 new members = 300,000 people served. Growing our membership will ensure our place as the global leader in humanitarian service for the next generation of Lions.
Connect with Community – the tradition of Lions clubs is that we are connected with our communities. We are neighbors. We are friends. We identify the needs of our local community, and take action to meet those needs. During the Centennial period, plan activities and projects that will strengthen the bonds of friendship and service. An excellent way to connect with your community is by planning and completing a legacy project – which I will talk more about later in this presentation.
In July of 2014, LCI announced the Centennial Service Challenge – an ambitious goal of serving 100 million people around the world in four areas – Youth, Vision, Hunger and the Environment. It’s a 4 year program, ending June 30, 2018.
Lions responded as only Lions can and we are well on our way toward achieving our goal and benefiting 100 million people.
Additionally, thousands of clubs earned the diamond patch the first year by participating in all four areas of service.
If we are to meet our goal – and hopefully surpass it – we must continue to actively participate in the challenge. Clubs can earn patches for each area of service, and in every year of the challenge. And District governors can earn a patch if at least 50 percent of clubs participate in a given year.
But most importantly – we can make a difference in the lives of many millions of people.
Let’s take a look at our worldwide results. (Note: Service numbers are as of July 2015.)
Over 23,000 clubs are participating in the Service Challenge and they’ve reported over 245,000 activities.
Those activities were Engaging our Youth, Protecting Our Environment, Relieving the Hunger, and Sharing the Vision for a total of over 42 M people served!
Let’s hear it for everyone who has participated in a Centennial Service project (applaud).
And, let’s hear it for everyone who has planned their next Centennial Service project (applaud).
Together, we will continue to provide service into the next century of Lions!
If each Lions club added just 3 new members, that’s 138,000 new Lions, which translates to over 4 million more lives impacted.
In addition, there are still thousands of communities in each Constitutional Area that do not have a Lions club. That’s thousands of communities whose needs are unmet.
If each district adds one new club, that’s over 700 new communities being served.
Where there’s a need, we NEED a Lion.
So, we ask you, as part of our Centennial Celebration, to invite others to join us in service.
The Centennial Celebration Membership Awards give you the opportunity to be a part of our Centennial Celebration marking 100 years of Lions serving our communities. Lions can earn these awards in two ways: by sponsoring new members and helping organize clubs.
Lions automatically qualify to earn additional awards once they sponsor a new member or help organize a new club.
Silver Centennial Lion
Earn the Silver Centennial Lion award once the new member or new club remains in good standing for 1 year and a day.
Gold Centennial Lion
Earn the Gold Centennial Lion award once the new member or new club remains in good standing for 2 years and a day.
Diamond Centennial Lion
Earn the Diamond Centennial Lion award once the new member or new club remains in good standing for 3 years and a day.
You can find more information about the Centennial membership awards on the Lions100.org web site.
Our Centennial Celebration honors our past -- the many accomplishments of Lions during our 100 year history. We are highlighting our current projects and the impact of our service. And, we are also looking toward our future.
As part of the Celebration, we ask clubs to identify a legacy project -- something that will leave a lasting impact in their local community.
Examples of legacy projects include:
A Lions park for all to enjoy
A community garden
A clock tower in the town square
A Lions eye hospital or clinic
A legacy project can also be as simple as a new Lions sign at the entrance to your city. Any project identified as a lasting Lions gift to your community will qualify.
We encourage clubs to meet with community leaders to identify a local need, something to benefit their community for years to come, something to mark the legacy of Lions.
Centennial volunteers are working around the world to help make our Celebration a success.
In addition to chairperson PIP Frank Moore and Honorary chairperson PIP Joe Wroblewski, the Centennial Action Committee has representatives from each Constitutional Area and Africa. (Note – take this time to identify your representatives. If they are present, ask them to stand and be recognized.)
Also – each multiple district, single district, and district has been asked to appoint a Centennial Coordinator to help coordinate Centennial activities. (Note – take this time to ask Multiple District, Single District, and District Centennial Coordinators to stand and be recognized).
A complete listing of the Centennial Action Committee and Centennial Coordinators can be found on the Lions100.org website, along with job descriptions.
We encourage clubs to identify a Centennial Chair and/or Centennial Committee to coordinate Centennial activities at the club level, including participation in the Centennial Service Challenge and local celebrations.
And of course, we encourage every Lion to embrace the rich history of Lions Clubs International and use that to inspire their own service.
There are a number of steps you can take to Celebrate…
Resources are key to the overall success of our Centennial celebration.
The Lions100.org web site is the main source of information and resources. Under the Toolbox section you will find a club planning resources, project ideas, and other downloadable materials such as the Touchstone Stories – short articles on our history and hallmark programs. The articles are designed to be used in club, district, and multiple district newsletters, and can also be shared with local newspapers for publication.
Our Centennial Videos tell compelling stories of Lions Clubs International in a visual way. The first two videos released are “The Founding of Lions Clubs” and “The Impact of Melvin Jones.” Some of these videos contain photos and audio recordings never before seen or heard by Lions serving today. There will be eight videos produced – one per quarter – and you can find them on Lions100.org.
Also on Lions100.org you will find a link to Centennial Merchandise in Club Supplies. There you will find apparel, banners, decals, and more, designed specifically for your Centennial Celebration.
The Centennial Banner will be specially designed to celebrate Lions 100 years of service. Beginning in July 2016, each executive officer, international director and Board appointee will be given a section of the banner to take with them on visits to Lions. Lions will be asked to sign that section of the banner. The banner will be reassembled in 2017 and displayed at the International Centennial Convention in Chicago.
The Centennial Commemorative Coin design will be approved by the United States Secretary of the Treasury in December 2015. Beginning in January 2016, LCI and the United States Mint will begin promoting the coin to Lions and coin collectors around the world. The coin will be available for purchase in January 2017. For every coin sold up to 400,000, Lions Clubs International Foundation will receive US$10 – for a maximum of US$4M. All proceeds will support the SightFirst program.
LCI staff are also working on a Centennial Exhibit for the 2017 International Convention. The exhibit will include historic artifacts and interactive displays to tell the story of our past, present, and future. Smaller travelling exhibits will be on display at 2016 Leadership Forums, and a digital exhibit will be available on Lions100.org.
Work is underway to identify a sculptor and commission a bronze statue of Melvin Jones to be placed on the grounds of Lions Clubs International headquarters. And thanks to a US$20,000 donation from the Lions of Japan, work has begun to improve and expand the Melvin Jones burial site at Mount Greenwood Cemetery near Chicago.
We will continue to highlight resources available and provide updates on Centennial projects through our network of communications, such as emails, the Lions100.org website, social media, and LION Magazine.
Use Lions100.org as your main source of tools to assist with Centennial activities and celebrations.
And stay informed on new resources as they roll out through the Centennial Celebration Newsletter and other Lions communications.
Now is the time to celebrate our Centennial by solidifying plans and taking action to celebrate 100 years of Lions service.