Issue #5
I really must congratulate two Leos this week before carrying on. The First is Leo Mark Rodgers from Peterborough Leos, 105EA, England.
As you may or may not know, I currently email The Leo every week to around 105 Leos worldwide. However, I have been worried as although I have a program to generate all 105 emails - I then have to log on and wait while they all upload from my computer. At present, this takes 20 minutes. With Local Call charges costing what they do, this is why I changed from sending The Leo out from midweek to weekends (although weekends are more inconvenient for me) and restricting each issue to the length it has been. It meant that my phone call would cost less than a third of what it did.
However, I had to consider the possibility of having 1000 subscribers in the future and the cost implications. Unlike some of you, my Internet access is not at work/university but at home. The Leo is written using MS Word on my 486SX-33 4MB and then transferred to a program called NewsWin which I can use to send out Multiple Mailings. The database of names is kept under an MS Access database, which Newwin refers to. I then use NewsWin to choose my group (in this case Leos - I have another with around 4 Lions), insert the text from The Leo, click a button, and let NewsWin create 105 identical letters to all the mailing list. Then when I next log on, it automatically uploads all the emails onto the Internet.
I have been looking at the possibility of getting a Listserver at a local university - however, there have been a lot of stories in the British Computer Press about how Universities are stopping this for outside organisations. However, Mark told me about a way I could send just 1 email and get it distributed to all Leos on the mailing list. This I should be trying with this issue - meaning now I have no worries about the amount of subscribers, and worry less about the length of the issue. You should notice no change in the way that you receive or send information - it just makes my life a whole lot easier when it comes to sending The Leo out.
The other Leo I must congratulate is Andrew Connor at Lauceston South Leo Club, Tasmania. On their Web page, which he writes, he has put all the back issues of The Leo, as I reported in a previous issue. However, what impressed me was that I emailed out last weeks issue at about 10am my time on Sunday Morning, went out for two and a half hours, came back, logged on, and found he had already put issue 4 onto the Web - Hows that for speed.
You may find you have received this issue earlier than Sunday/Monday due to the fact that this weekend I have an MD Cabinet Meeting in Bournemouth, and that I am no longer constrained by only being able to send The Leo out at the weekend. I will be talking about The Leo in Any Other Business, although my main focus will be Leo Club Growth, which I will give you an update on. In the meantime, I have pushed forward the article on how to get Leo Club Growth to work, so that you can prepare for 1st July 1996 - the next presidential year.
I also have important information from Oak Brook (International HQ) re: The Leo - which I ask you to please read and pass on if you want The Leo to become an official Leo Publication.
Before setting up The Leo, I emailed through a contact who works at International HQ, a query about the possibility of starting an Official Leo Email bulletin. After I never heard anything, I presumed that the message wasn't passed on, and so I carried on, after heavy consulting with other Leos & Lions, including the disclaimer at the front.
Last Week I received an postal letter from Karen J Dolinick, who is the Staff Attorney at Oak Brook. She says the following:
"Generally, the association holds its mailing list in strict confidence. If a Leo District wishes to authorise publication of a news bulletin, it may do so. You should contact the Leo District directly....."
What this means is that for The Leo to become an international Official Leo Bulletin, we need every Leo District to vote to make it so. For example, this weekend at Bournemouth I will be asking MD105 to vote for The Leo to be an official Leo publication. If they do so, I will be able to state that The Leo is an official Leo Bulletin for 105A, 105BS, 105BN, 105C, 105E, 105EA,.....etc.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE at your next District Meeting, get a vote of approval for The Leo. It won't cost your Leo District anything, but what it will do is give The Leo credit, and hence make it a vehicle for carrying your views to Oakbrook and the rest of the world.
Its up to you.
105EA Leos have come up with a great idea for bridging that gap between Leos & Lions. They are hosting Zone Meetings. This is a really good idea, and may be worth a try in your zone. Not only will it prove to your Lions the quality of Leos, but also might result in a Lions Club deciding to sponsor a new Leo Club !!!!
As I stated previously, whilst continuing to serialise the background knowledge to Leo Club Growth, I have pushed forward the basic plan of how to get new clubs set up on mass. It is very likely that you won't understand WHY it works, as this is contained within the serialisation. However, if you follow this, and continue to read the serialisation, you will understand eventually.
For those of you who don't know, Leo Club Growth is the plan implemented by MD105 to set up 100 new Leo Clubs in the Multiple District in just 1 year. When this was announced this was thought impossible, but already since July 1st, we have an estimated 78 new Leo Club already on the way AND THIS NUMBER IS GROWING DAILY.
If you want to implement this in your District/Multiple District you can do so very easily, however, you need to start planning now in order to start on July 1st 1996.
Where we have gone wrong before, is that quiet often Leos sit back and don't go out and encourage Lions to form Leo Clubs. Lions see Leos as children, yet in most cases Leos are adults (or if not very mature individuals). In cases where Lions Club do gain interest in setting up a Leo Club, they always tend to say: "We plan to set up a Leo Club, but just not yet".
When looking at this problem in MD105, I thought about what got Lions motivated and active. For inspiration, I looked at Campaign Sightfirst, for which Lions raised hundreds of millions of dollars. What did that have that Leos didn't? The answer: a campaign.
Campaign Sightfirst literally said: "This is the year of Sightfirst, not next year, but this year, so you must act now".
This is why you MUST launch Leo Club Growth at the same time as the Lions New Fiscal year (i.e. 1st July). Some of you might want to get started now, but believe me, you cannot be too prepared.
You need a co-ordinator, who will be at you highest level (i.e. either a District Officer if you are not in a Multiple District, or otherwise a Multiple District Officer). That person HAS to know Leos inside out, as they will have to deal with any question, problems & queries.
Furthermore, the Leo Club Growth Chairman should report direct to your MD (or District) President and therefore you will need your MD or District to appoint someone before February. He/She should also have both a Leo & a Lion representative in every district or zone. The Lion is most Likely to be your District Leo Chairman, but the Leo SHOULD not be the District President (the job is too involved).
Communication is of the upmost important, and for the LCG Chairman this can be a hard job, so arrange a couple of meetings a year so you can get updated on progress.
The LCG Chairman should arrange to get copies of minutes from every club in the District/Multiple District within 2 weeks of the meeting. The LCG chairman should then collate this information and extract the most outstanding deeds done by clubs. Press releases should be put together, using this information showing the high quality service performed by Leos. (I was told by a Lion a long time ago that the only way to make Lions want to form a Leo Club, is to show them that the quality of service performed is of such a high quality, that they hunger for one).
Above all LCG must be hyped to the Lions - use all available means to get the Leo Club Growth message across - that forming a Leo Club is a great addition to Lions Club activities. In the press releases which should appear at the end of June you should stress that Leo Club Growth is just for one year and that a Leo Club Growth Pack is available from the LCG Chairman.
I have a pack in English and will gladly send anyone a copy by email, or even put it in the Leo.
Once the LCG Chairman receives the request he must send out packs promptly, keeping a note of names and addresses. His/her team should be informed of interested Lions clubs, and the district team should ensure they are there to offer local assistance in helping the Lions Club form a Leo Club. reports should be given back to the LCG Chairman, who will have a nightmare trying to co-ordinate everything. TRUST ME, I KNOW!
It is important that Leos are seen to play a major part in the LCG team, and the LCG Chairman should be a Leo. By going out there, giving talks to clubs at club/zone/district meetings, loads of PR the Lions will see the calibre of Leos and want to have a club of their own.
Something else you will need to do is start putting together a reference manual with EVERYTHING to do with Leos in. One of the dangers of getting a lot of new members is that they do not know what to do, and it seems to them that EVERYONE is just as lost as they are.
We are still putting our Leo Manual together, but it is looking that it will number over 300 pages. A copy will be given to each club, and they will be there for when a club has a problem or a question
Should you have any questions, please feel free to email me - and I will help you in whatever way I can (hey, if you pay my airfare, I'll even come over and set it up for you !)
Furthermore, this week, I have JUST had another Letter from Oakbrook, this time from Rose Mary Ozga, who is the Youth Programs Department manager, which includes Leos. She says the following:
"Dear Leo Faulkner,
I wish to acknowledge receipt of and thank you for your August 1995 letter addressed to International President Wunder concerning the Leo Club Program. President Wunder is on an extended program of visits to Lions clubs and projects for the association, and I have been asked to respond to your letter in his absence.
First, by the time you receive this letter, the international president will have completed his visit in District 105SE. Perhaps there was an opportunity for the two of you to meet. If not, I trust you understand that as much as the international president would like to meet every Lion and Leo present at a function, time does not always allow him to do so.
Your letter was read with great interest. Your ambitious goal to organise 100 Leo Clubs in Multiple District 105 in one year is noted and we certainly encourage and applaud your efforts.
If you should have an extra copy of the Leo reference book that you prepared to use to introduce and inform the Leos and Lions in Multiple District 105 about the Leo Club Program, we would appreciate receiving a copy. Your material could be helpful in shaping future publications prepared at the headquarters.
We recognise that information/publications/promotional materials are not applicable universally and sometimes do not meet local needs. Therefore, we encourage efforts such as yours, to adapt information to meet promotional needs in Multiple District 105.
International President Wunder places a high priority on leadership - for present Lions and young people who will be our leaders in the future. I am enclosing a copy of the headquarters edition of THE LION Magazine, where the president addresses the subject of leadership and touches on its relationship to Leo clubs. This article is 'directed Material' and is required to be published in all editions of THE LION Magazine. I cannot tell you when the British Isles and Ireland edition of the magazine will feature this article but it will appear there soon.
Your interest in and dedication to the Leo movement is exemplary. We wish you every success in your efforts to promote the Leo Club Program. If we can be of assistance in any way, please let us know
Yours sincerely."
Signed Rose Mary Ozga. This letter is also copied to the International President, Dr Wunder. It shows that Oakbrook are looking very closely at Leo Club Growth and are willing to help.
Next week I hope to have details on an idea I have to launch an International Recruitment campaign. However, I want to create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on Leos first, so if you have any ideas please let me know. I will also need some translators as I plan to offer this FAQ in as many languages as possible. More details next week
This year's conference will be held on the South Coast of England in Bournemouth, and should be one of the best every due to the good year we are having over here. it will be held from Friday 22nd March 1996 - Sunday 24th Match 1996. They are always a great event, so if your interested in coming along, email me, and I will get one of the organising committee to email you back with the details.
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