Message From Your Chairman

Chairperson's Message

It is a pleasure for me to serve as your Chairperson for the year 2005- 2006 together with a dedicated team of Officers & Directors of the Association.

The MD"A" Past District Governors' Association was formed in 1997 to perpetuate & foster the cause of Lionism in MD"A" by the Members, without interfering in any way with the role of the Council of Governors, & provide a means of friendly association amongst our Members. I believe the Association over the years has done its best to live up to these concepts. & I feel a sense of pride amongst the Members in having had the privilege to serve as a District Governor.

Last year at the Annual General Meeting it was approved for the Association to sponsor an annual Scholarship in the amount of $500. to a grade 12 student in the Lions Quest life skills programme in MD"A". We need your support both financially & to ensure that a candidate is nominated each year in your District for the award. The Committee will then choose one student to receive the Scholarship in MD"A". As well, this year, in response to the Council Chairperson's suggestion, we have signified our willingness to assist the District Leadership Chairpersons to complete a list of speakers, seminar presenters etc. available from their District.

Last year the Association held a dinner meeting in November to provide the Members & guests with an opportunity to meet & hear International Vice President Jimmy Ross. This was well received & the Board recommended that we hold another mid year get-together. This year 95 Association Members, District Governors & Vice District Governors & their spouses enjoyed a luncheon October 17^th, which included a social time, delicious lunch & motivational message & musical entertainment by Fr. Mark Curtis. The luncheon agenda was appreciated, the social time gave us an opportunity to catch up on the news with friends in Lionism & we all came away inspired by the speaker.

This year at the Past District Governors' dinner at the MD"A" Convention, Thursday June 1, 2006, International Director Terry Graham will be our speaker & we have arranged for entertainment for your enjoyment. Immediately following the dinner, the Annual General Meeting of the Association will convene to elect our new officers for 2006- 2007 & discuss & vote on business of the Association. We hope you will be able to join us for an evening of conversation, learning, entertainment & Association business.

Also, we want to remember our Association Members in times of need. It would be appreciated if you would advise Lion Grace Kingsnorth at 705-474-5229 or e-mail to gbkingsnorth@hotmail.com who will send out Get Well cards & Bereavement cards on behalf of the Association.

We are most grateful to the MD"A" Council of Governors for their authorization for the Association to operate a web site on the MD"A" Web Site. Also, we are very appreciative of all the help of the MD"A" Webmaster, Lion Ted Rypma, to set up our web site which will contain a great deal of information about our Association including the names of the Officers & Directors, Board Meeting dates, Social Events, a copy of our latest Bulletin etc. .For those that have access to a computer you will soon be able to log on to www.mdalions.org & then click on the "PDG Association" button for this information. .

In closing, let us remember Helen Keller who, in 1925, challenged us to be Knights of the Blind & lend your support to the three year SightFirst ll campaign to combat blindness throughout the world, which is starting this year.

Best wishes to all for a most enjoyable holiday season. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Lion Fred Sheehy

Chairperson

MD"A" Past District Governors' Association

Editors Bits & Pieces

Our last annual general meeting was held in Kingston at the MDA Convention and was well attended. The meal was one of the best my wife and I have experienced at a Lions function. Our hats off to the organizers. With this said, we have been promised an equally great meal in Niagara Falls on June 1/06 at our next annual general meeting. This will be at the MDA convention and you will be receiving more information on this later.

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Our Chairman, Lion Fred, made a request to MDA Secretary to see if we can receive minutes of the council of governors meetings. This request was granted and forwarded to our members. The feed back from this is well received and keeps all PDG's updated.

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On October 15, 2005 our association had a special luncheon held at the Claremont Lions Hall. There were 97 in attendance, which included past and present governors, their spouses and two guests (the speaker and his wife). Father Mark Curtis, "The Singing Priest" and renown Canadian Motivational Speaker reminded us that the most commonly used phrase is "If Only". I know that he wasn't referring to Lions. He did suggest that some meetings are held at St. Timothy of Horton's, but luckily, not to many. This was one speaker I'm glad I didn't miss.

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Our membership currently stands at 235. All members of our association should make an extra effort to encourage all PDG's that are not currently members of our association to join. The cost is a one-time fee of $25:00

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It was decided at our last meeting of your board of directors that your PDG's Newsletter be sent electronically to all district directors who will forward it to all members in their districts. This can also be done electronically to all who have e-mail. Those members who do not have e-mail will have their copy mail the old way. This should save us money over the long run.

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PDG Lion Wayne Chambers has sourced out spring/fall and winter jackets for our members to purchase. These are good quality jackets and priced very reasonable. Watch for more information on this to follow from Lion Wayne.

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Our Past District Governors Association will have our new Web Page up and running very shortly (it may be up and running by the time you receive this newsletter). You will be able to link on through the Lions of MDA web site. Have a look.

In Remembrance

It is with deep regret that since our last newsletter the following Past District Governors have past away. I know they will be missed by all who knew them. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families.

PDG Lion Alf Shulz (A-9, 1980/81) passed away in July 2005-11-15

PDG Lion Ray Finney (A-16, 1976-77) passed away in May 2005.

PDG Lion Bob Beams (A-7, 1980-81) passed away in April 2005.

Fathers Day

Yes, I know that it is not close to fathers day, but I might misplace this item by then. I received this information via an email that originated from the secretary of the Markham Lions Club. According to Lion Ken McFarlane, he found this article in the Markham Economist, the local newspaper.

It all began in 1909 while listening to a mother's day sermon that Mrs. Sonora Dodd began thinking about her own father, William Smart, and felt that there ought to be a special day for fathers as well. She recognized the qualities her widowed father had demonstrated in raising a family of six children after her mother had died. Since his birthday was in mid June, she choose June 19, 1910 for a celebration of fathers at her church in Spokane, Washington. The idea caught on, Lions Clubs got involved. Harry C. Meek, president of the Chicago Lions Club began touring the United

States in support of an annual Fathers Day. He was honoured for his efforts by being named in 1920 by Lions Clubs of America as the "Originator of Fathers Day"

So remember next Fathers Day that it was a Lion member that really got this off the ground.

News Flash

To members of the MD A Past District Governors' Association - exclusively.
The Directors of your Association have approved the design and style of distinctive jackets, which are being offered to "members only." The initials M D "A" will be embroidered and appear curved, above the Lions Emblem.

Samples of the spring and winter jackets will be available in the hands of each District Director to show interested members of our Association by mid-February. However, "don't wait for spring!" If you would like to order a jacket now, kindly fill out the order form attached. Once we receive an order for 50 or more jackets throughout M.D. "A" the supplier will go into production.

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Yours truly

PDG Wayne Chambers, Director A-711 MD A PDG's Association

43 Alpha Mills Road

MISSISSAUGA ON  L5N 1H7

HME: 905-826-4112

waynec@accessv.com

(see attached order form)

A Smile for a Winter Day

An older couple was lying in bed one night. The husband was almost a sleep but his wife felt romantic and wanted to talk. She said, ≥ you used to hold my hand when we were courting ≥ so he reached over and held her hand as he tried to get back to sleep. She then said "you used to kiss me". He gave her a quick peck on her cheek and tried to go back to sleep. Seconds later she said "you used to bite me on my neck". Angrily he threw back the covers and got out of bed. "Where are you going" she asked. "To get my teeth"

Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year from your editor, Lion Brian Linton PDG A-7

Secretary/Treasurer Chairman Vice Chairman

In Remembrance

Fathers Day

News Flash

A Smile for a Winter Day