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Male Lions

WE SERVE!

A Message from District Governor Bijoy Mahanti

Dear Fellow Lions,

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Here we are in the official FALL already.  I hope you enjoyed the Summer and welcoming the new season.

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I just returned from attending the USA/Canada Lions and Leos Leadership Forum in Louisville, Kentucky which was a great event.  It was a time to learn, hang out with old friends and make new friends.  The memories will be alive. I left with high energy and renewed focus on our mission “WE SERVE”.  There were great seminars (over 100) with amazing speakers.  The Stride Walk was very enjoyable.  There were opportunities to participate in several service activities.

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USA/Canada Lions and Leos Leadership Forums are the best learning experience in Lions International and I urge you to attend one.  The experience you will get is unforgettable.  Please mark your calendar the next year (2025) the Forum will be held in our own back yard in Atlantic City, New Jersey from September 18-20, 2025.  The Pre-Registration has already started with reduced fees.  The announcements are on the Lions International website.

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I am aware and recognize that every club in our District is serving its community.  The challenge is to report those activities on the Portal, which I know can be a new daunting task.  Nonetheless, I believe that by working together and using our own resourceful Lions, we can navigate technology and make it work for us.

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At the last Cabinet meeting we shared our District goals for this year. Charter two new clubs with a net gain of 55 members, initiate and complete at least one service activity which could be partnering with another club and report in the Portal, ensure all clubs contribute to the LCIF, ensure all club officers complete training and report in the Portal.  One of our major focuses is to contribute to the Lions International membership goal of 1.5 million by July 1, 2027, by growing our clubs.  We will continue to emphasize this goal during our various service activities and meetings/events.

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Also very important is the annual “Peace Poster Contest”.  Hope you have ordered your kits and connected with some schools in your area.  I have a few kits if anyone needs some.  This year’s theme is “Peace Without Limits” and submission date is fast approaching.  Please contact the District Peace Poster Chair, Michele McKay for more information.

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October is “Medication Safety Awareness for the Visually Impaired” month.  If you want ideas for service activities, please let me know.

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Our theme for this year is “BEING A LIGHT WE SERVE”.  As we know we came from the LIGHT.  I am remembering one quote by Rumi; “A Candle Does Not Lose None Of Its Light By Lighting Another Candle”.  We have so many opportunities on our journey together being a Candle.  Being a candle is not easy either: “In order to give light one must first burn” said by Rumi.

Wonder what that picture of a burning candle is at the bottom of this page?  I looked at the calendar October 11th is Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar and a time for atonement, repentance, and fasting.  I know how solemn and important this moment is.  I honor various traditions.  I have long felt that regardless of one’s faith, finding occasions for self-reflection, where your own failings with honesty and clarity, is a necessary and worthy exercise.  We live in a time where the divides between us are stark and seem to be growing wider and more inescapable.  We are living in a moment of rancor, when anger, fear, and despair are widespread.  We can see selfishness run amok; selfishness that is proving deadly not to mention climate crisis.  We are also witnessing lies, and an increase in violence. Sustained reflection is required to try to change who we are.  We must change our ways to thrive. I often ask myself, what any of us can do in the face of these destructive forces against progress and hope. I also recognize the problems we face require broad and sustained action. 

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We could start by attempting to do one small thing that makes our fellow human beings and the natural world better.  Reaching out to even one person who you know may be lonely or angry, picking up a little trash in a park or wherever we walk through, acknowledging and bringing in the awareness of violence and divisiveness that exists in our communities, drug addiction, bullying just to name a few.  We can choose to end a hurtful line of discourse, microaggression, and systemic ISMs (sexism, racism etc. etc.).  From our small actions can come larger ones.  Our momentum can build.  We can join and partner with many local volunteer efforts.  There are many organizations locally involved in reducing drug addiction, suicide prevention, gun violence control, cleaning and sustaining clean environment, various disease awareness and prevention. The list is endless.  Let us see what we feel can be improved and then start a small movement to fix it.  What is your passion and what gives you life?  Recognize that we all can do so much more and have great potential.  Remember we talked about Boiling water, Olympians etc. in our meeting on August 11th Cabinet meeting.  We all can choose at one of the countless inflection points of our lives to opt for positive action.  Bottom line, just IMAGINE how we can change the world by changing ourselves.  Following the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD”

May the best for all involved occur!

Stay Blessed for Better & Better

Bijoy Mahanti

2024-2025 22B District Governor

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District 22B on Facebook

Lions are individuals who volunteer their time to humanitarian causes in their local and world communities. By conducting service projects and raising funds, Lions strive to help those in need, wherever the need exists. The Lion’s motto is "We Serve".

Lions aim to improve health and well-being, strengthen communities, support those in need through humanitarian aid, and encourage peace and international understanding.

The Lions of Maryland feed the hungry, assist after disasters, clean up in neighborhoods, raise funds for the visually impaired, orphans, and other causes, and run a variety of youth programs, mentoring youth as they pursue positive activities and carry out service projects.

There is a Lion! When caring people join together, roll up their sleeves, and take action to make their community better, it’s a beautiful thing—and an incredible feeling for everyone involved. That’s Lions. Being a Lion is about leading by example, building relationships, and improving the world through kindness. It’s 1.4 million caring individuals serving together so they can make a lasting impact and change more lives.
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