Message from the District Governor District 306 A-1
It is with a great sense of pride that I send this message on the occasion of the 17th Annual District Convention of Lions International District 306 A1, to be heldon Saturday 07th May 2022 at the Banquet & Convention Hall Eagle Lakeside and the Business Session on Sunday 08th May 2022 at Havelock City Clubhouse Colombo 05.
Every year Lions, Lion Ladies & Leos gather at the Convention to celebrate and be rewarded for a dedicated service rendered throughout the year to make the lives of the less fortunate a better one. Whilst rejoicing in that service the District recognizes those who have contributed to the success of the year through awards to show its appreciation and as a source of encouragement to other Lions.
The year 2021- 2022 has seen many changes in keeping with my theme ““Serve with Passion for a Better Tomorrow”. Clubs were encouraged to concentrate on Service in the areas of the five global causes of Hunger, Sight, Environment, Pediatric Cancer & Diabetes. The Lionistic Year 2021-2022 has been a very difficult one for the people of Sri Lanka and for the Lions who are representatives of the people.
The year began with the country under full lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Since the 2019 Easter Bomb attack, which nearly killed the tourism business, members along the district’s coastal belt who are connected to the hotel industry have been severely impacted.
The volatile political situation later in the year created significant uncertainty, affecting many parts of the country and its economy. Despite these setbacks, 72 Lions Clubs in District 306 A1 have continued to carry out their service programs in various locations.
District projects were kept to a minimum to encourage Clubs to focus on initiatives that met a community need and required innovative thinking. The other factors that were focused on to enhance clubs in order to secure their long-term viability were administration and financial management. The “Plate Full of Love” service challenge was a huge success, as we were able to ensure that 100% of the clubs’ contributions went to feeding the hungry and planting trees, resulting in 10,000+ meals and 8,000 new trees being planted. This event made history since it was the first time in District A1 that over 70% of individual members actively participated in a service project.
The Lions Ladies of District 306A1 also contributed by hosting Webinar Programs such as Healthy Living, an Ayurvedic program, Cancer Awareness, a virtual concert, a variety show titled “Young Talent Hunt” to commemorate
World Children’s Day. Grooming & Personal Development Program, Project to Assist Sexually Abused Victims in Galle, well as donating medical equipment and essential items with the help of District ladies of 306B1 to Cane Hospital in Jaffna.
During the year District Lions devoted over 60,000 lion hours to conduct closer to 1000 service activities with a fund of USD 524,132 to Serve 614,472 People. This includes 5 Global courses Diabetes (1256), Environment (514,778), Childhood CANCER (961), Hunger Relief (23,749) Vision (1,586) and other community projects (72,142).
This year, my goal was to guarantee that all Lions enjoy their Lionism by consolidating membership and handing on a strong District to the next generation of leaders. I’d want to express my gratitude to all of the Lions, Lion Ladies, and Leos that helped make this Lionistic Year a huge success, and I wish them continued success in serving the movement and our country.