Our year is half over and our membership numbers are going in the wrong direction. While reviewing membership, I have found that our numbers are down eleven — to 1243! It has also been reported that some significant drops have occurred since January 1st which will put us well below the 1250 members necessary to allow us to have an International Director, as well as other perks from Lions International. I do not expect a few clubs to reverse our numbers, but if every club will get one new member this spring, we can end our year with a net gain.
Membership growth is not as difficult as you think. If your club is doing worthwhile projects and you are telling the public about them, people will want to join you. It is up to you to ask them.
Some of our clubs are getting new members and I congratulate Wellsburg, Pleasants Area, Moundsville, Elm Grove, and New Cumberland for their net gain of two to four new members. We also have 16 clubs with a net loss, some as many as seven.
Earlier this year our Multiple District Global Membership Chair sent every club president a letter encouraging clubs to have a fall and spring round-up. It is now time to start your spring round-up. If you have a copy of the Ohio plan, that is a good place to start. If you need assistance I will be happy to come to a club meeting to help you start.
On the positive side, Vice District Governor Bob Moffet, GML Chair Eva Dague, and myself have been working on a new Lions Club at the high tech center in Fairmont. Plans are to have an organizational meet-ing the middle of February.
I would like to hear from club membership chairs. If you are interested, we can set a training day with Multiple District Global Membership Chair, John Pinkerman, to help you with membership growth.
                                                                     PDG Richard McMillan, GM Chair

PDG Richard McMillan 29L GMT Co-coordinator
Lions International is the only world service organization to show an increase in membership, but the U. S. Lions numbers have been declining for several years. District 29L has lost about 100 members in the past 3 years. Membership is extremely important to service organizations. We have one hundred less pair of hands working to make our community a better place to live.
How can we reverse this trend and help Governor Patty reach her goal of having all 45 clubs have a net gain of at least one more member?
Think back to the time you were asked to become a Lion. What questions first came to mind? Probably something like this.
What do Lions do?
What will it cost me?
What will I get from being a lion?
How much time will I be expected to give?
How often do you meet?
If you are prepared to answer those questions, your success rate of getting new members will be greatly enhanced. When giving your answers be completely honest, especially about time and money.
When you tell people what Lions do, focus on the service projects you do. Tell how your club has helped people in the community. Do not talk only about your fund raisers. Service is what new members want to do, so you should show them how they can use their talents to help others. President Tam has challenged us to “spend more time serving and less time meeting”.
If every club will prepare their members to answer these five questions, there is no reason why we should not experience a net gain of 45 members this year.
If your club needs assistance with a membership drive, the GMTeam will be happy to come to your club

• Award for the Lion who sponsors the most members from July 1, 2011 to June 30,2012 with the new members being active Lions as of July 31, 2012

• Award to the club who has sponsored a new Lions Club or Leo Club

• Award to the club who has the largest membership growth from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 with the new members being active Lions as of July 31, 2012

• Retention: A banner patch will be presented to each club who has maintained their membership as of July 31, 2012