Newsletter: August 5, 2025

DISTRICT 2-E2 NEWSLETTER

August 5, 2025

A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR

It’s been an unforgettable start to my first month as District Governor—marked by the devastating flooding and tragic loss of lives in Kerr County and Central Texas, followed closely by an unexpected kidney stone surgery. Not quite the kickoff I had envisioned, but it’s already shown me the incredible heart, strength, and unity of our Lions.

At the 1st Council of Governors Meeting in Kerrville, I witnessed the flood damage firsthand. The destruction was overwhelming, but so was the compassion and support pouring in from Lions across the state of Texas. I’m incredibly proud to share that District 2-E2 delivered $23,156 in donations to the Kerrville Host Lions Club Foundation during the meeting. Prior to our contribution, more than $300,000 had already been donated to support recovery efforts. I want to thank every club in our District for your generous donations and swift response to this catastrophic event—your compassion truly embodies the spirit of “We Serve.”

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to IPDG Deb Lewis, 1VDG Mike Lueckenhoff, 2VDG Sean Bryan, and our entire GAT Team for stepping up and leading the way at our 1st District Leadership Meeting in July. Your teamwork and dedication ensured the day was a success, and I’m proud to serve alongside such an outstanding team. Although I was present, I wasn’t able to fully participate due to having surgery the day before, so your support truly meant the world to me.

Reminder: Club Excellence Award applications and Grass Roots Lion nominations are due by August 31st. Let’s take time to celebrate and recognize the outstanding service and leadership happening throughout District 2-E2!

Yours in Service,

AUGUST:

August 16 - Mid-Cities Pacific Islanders Lions Club Charter Party
August 27 - Lions Virtual Zoom Training (Map to Grow - Chat GPT)
DFW Blind and Persons With Disabilities Lions Club Service Project

🌴 You Don’t Want to Miss This! 🌴

District 2-E2 Charter Celebration

Saturday, August 16th 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Feragne Villa Event Venue

$35 per person for dinner, drinks and lots of fun!

Get ready for a fun-filled evening as we celebrate and support one of our newest District 2-E2 Lions Clubs - The Mid-Cities Pacific Islanders Lions Club!

🎉 Theme: Island Party – Dust off your island wear and come ready to enjoy an Islander evening! Maybe they will teach us how to hula?

Dinner: Islander Buffet

Drinks: Open Bar - included in dinner price.

Special Guest Speaker: Bedford Mayor Dan Cogan

🎶 Entertainment: Mid-Cities Pacific Islanders Lions Club – an amazing group of Lions sharing their culture and talent!

🦁 Let’s keep the Charter Party tradition alive—bring your checkbooks and join in the Parade of Checks to help kick-start this club’s service to the community.

Let’s show our newest Lions what Lionism and fellowship are all about!

See you there! Send reservations to the club Guiding Lion, colleyvilleliondeb@gmail.com

JOIN US VIA ZOOM!

1st VDG Mike Lueckenhoff and GLT Deb Cashen have teamed up to help your club maximize visibility and impact your communities.

VIA Zoom at 7:00 PM on the following dates:

August 27 - 'Map to Grow" (Learn how to use Lions based Chat GPT)

Guides Lions members in growing clubs by using asset mapping, outreach, marketing, S.W.O.T., GMA, and action plans.

September 17 - "Market to Grow" Transforms Lions service reports into press releases, social media content, and LinkedIn posts.

October 22 - "Serve to Grow"

Helps Lions partner with local libraries and community organizations to create a Service Carnival.

November 19 - "Learn to Grow"

Helps Lions create and design training and teaching designed on what problems need to be solved.

Let's have some fun with this relatively new tool! You too can design your Superpower!

To register Contact the Servant Hero Above!

Why Use Lions Virtual: How It Helps Lions Clubs

Lions Virtual is a powerful tool designed to support Lions Clubs in expanding their reach, improving communication, and increasing engagement—both internally among members and externally within the community. Here’s how it can help:

1. Expand Club Visibility

Reach Beyond Geographic Boundaries: Virtual tools let clubs engage members and supporters who may not be able to attend in person due to distance, mobility, or schedule constraints.

Broadcast Events Online: Promote service projects, fundraisers, and meetings via livestreams or recordings on Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube.

2. Increase Member Engagement & Retention

Flexible Participation: Members can join meetings or trainings from home, increasing attendance and involvement—especially for younger professionals or seniors.

Interactive Tools: Use polls, Q&As, and breakout rooms to foster discussion and make meetings more dynamic.

3. Simplify Training & Leadership Development

District-Wide Training Sessions: Host officer training, leadership development, and onboarding for new members virtually to save travel time and costs.

Record Sessions for On-Demand Learning: Members can access training anytime, at their convenience.

4. Strengthen Collaboration Across Clubs

Zone & District Meetings: Use virtual platforms to bring clubs together regularly, share best practices, and plan joint projects without logistical burdens.

Special Interest Clubs: Support the growth of specialty virtual clubs that serve niche communities or global causes (e.g., environmental or disability advocacy).

5. Support Accessibility & Inclusion

Assistive Technology: Platforms like Zoom can integrate screen readers, captions, and other features to accommodate members with disabilities.
Multilingual Options: Reach diverse communities using translation tools and captioning services.

6. Cost-Effective & Environmentally Friendly

Reduce travel expenses and venue rentals
Lower carbon footprint from commuting
Easily organize hybrid or fully virtual fundraisers

7. Enhance Marketing & Promotion

Shareable Content: Record meetings or presentations to repurpose as promotional videos, member testimonials, or impact updates.
Host Virtual Open Houses: Invite potential members or sponsors to learn about Lions Clubs in a convenient format.