The Gardens’ Grapevine
The Monthly Newsletter of Lions Club of Singapore Serangoon Gardens
June 1997 Issue
(For Internal Circulation Only)
Our 8th Annual Awards Presentation
& Fellowship Night
is on 10th July.
See you all at Hotel Plaza,
Beach Road.
Be Sure To Come!!!
Inside...
Page
2 Coming events --- 8th Annual Awards Presentation; Joint installation of new Presidents; and more.
3 Happenings in June --- Sports & Family Day; Paint1000; friendship on the Web
4 Feature --- Talk on "Role & Responsibility of Lions Club Past Presidents".
This is the last issue of "The Gardens’ Grapevine" for fiscal year 1996/97. From next issue onwards, our new President, Lion Tony Tan, will be in charge. The outgoing President, Lion Chey Chor Khoon, has had great pleasure putting together the past year’s issues of this newsletter. It is hoped that members have enjoyed reading them. Regrettably, he has received only one letter. Perhaps Lion Tony Tan will get more mail!
The Gardens’ Grapevine - June 1997 Page 2
Coming Events
10 July 7.30p.m. 8th Annual Awards Presentation &
Fellowship Night.
Happiness Room, Hotel Plaza, Beach Road.
Guests-of-Honour are DG Lion Dr Winston Koh
and his lady, Molly.
All Members Please Attend!!!
19 July 7.00p.m. Joint Installation 1997/98.
Shangila Hotel, Tower Ballroom.All the Singapore club Presidents will beinstalled in office during thisglittering ceremony by Guest-of-Honour 1st International Vice President KajitHabanananda. Our club has reserved one table for ten members. This will replace our July dinner meeting.
20 July 11.00a.m. Hot Meals for Befriendees.
Hougang CC, Hougang Ave 3. Lions Teo C.P.and Steven Yeong to attend.
Other Events Coming Your Way……
6 Aug Japanese Youth Visit
Our Club will host 15 Japanese youth to a visit to the Night Safari. This is our contribution to the Youth Exchange Programme of our District. Project Director - IPP Teo Cheng Peow.
16 Aug 7.30p.m. Joint 25th Anniversary Celebration
LC South, Tanglin and West. Dinner at Orchard Hotel, Level 3, Ballroom. Cost: $60 per person.
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The Gardens’ Grapevine - June 1997 Page 3
H a p p e n i n g s i n J u n e
| Lions Family & Sports Day Lions Prefer Shade To Sun Lions and Leos from all over Singapore, and even some from Johor, assembled bright and early on 1st June 1997 at St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, Serangoon Avenue 1, to enjoy each other’s fellowship. While some hardy Lions (mostly from our Club) were out in the sun helping to officiate in the track-and-field events, most Lions preferred to run food-and-drink and games stalls in the cool shade of the school tuckshop. So what? It’s only humanly natural to make money in comfort, one might say. No sweat, but the track and field events were noticeably thin. Only the tug-of-war (in which our team lost) created some excitement. Beautiful trophies with long and illustrious lineage went unclaimed. Pity. The one event which drew the crowds onto the field was the lucky draw. Lions are a pragmatic breed. The soccer match between Singapore clubs and Johor was another big draw. Elsewhere, in the tuckshop, Lions were selling a wide variety of food and drinks. Leos were into most of the game-stalls. A relaxed atmosphere pervaded the humid air. Back on the field, Lions Heng Cher Joo, Chey, Joi Pun and Chee Keong lost the 100m dash to young Stephen Ho from Katong. Later, with Frank Goh, Steven Yeong, Tony Tan, Chee Keong and Philip Lee, we lost the tug-of-war. Next year, the captain of the team had better show up. |
Paint1000 Another 47 homes painted Lions Befrienders made use of the June school holidays to paint another 47 homes of befriendees. Pupils from RGS and Cedar Girls enthusiastically came forward to help clean and paint 34 homes of befriendees at Blocks 61 and 62, Geylang Bahru on 8th June, and another 13 homes at Block 110, New Bridge Road on 22nd June. On hand to help were Lions Joi Pun, Steven Yeong, Chee Keong, Robert and IPP Teo C.P. Our club donated $100 each occasion for food for the helpers, and, in the case of the New Bridge Road apartments, another $200 for the cost of pest control. Friendship on the Web E-Mail Pals Members may be pleased to know that our Website is helping us to make friends. Recently, one Canadian, Lion Dave Simmonds from New Brunswick contacted Lion Tham Joi Pun, our Website Director via e-mail before coming to Singapore to witness his son’s wedding here. After arriving, he and his wife had lunch with some of our members, and even joined in the Paint1000 project at New Bridge Road. Another e-mail pal we have the pleasure of meeting is Steven Tsui, a forex manager originally from Hong Kong but now working in Singapore. Tsui has had dinner with us on one occasion, and has also seen us helping out at the Paint1000 project at New Bridge Road. He says he wants to see us in action at a few more projects. Sounds like he wants to be more than a friend. Members can visit our web-page at http//www.cyberway.com.sg/~lionssg, or email us at lionssg@cyberway.com.sg. |
The Gardens’ Grapevine - June 1997 Page 4
FEATURE
In the last Talk of the current year’s Lions’ Membership Development Talks Series (LMDTS), DC Eric Ng spoke on the "Role and Responsibility of Lions Club Past Presidents". We bring you a synopsis of this timely discussion which took place on 23 June 1997 at the ACE Daikin Auditorium.
PAST PRESIDENTS HAVE VALUABLE EXPERIENCES
AND KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE
Past Presidents belong to a unique group of people. Their uniqueness arises from their experience in having led a club made up of volunteers chosen from among themselves. They have an institutionalised role to play in a Lions Club. Members can learn to make full use of the individual as well as the collective experiences of all the past presidents of their own club.
The Art of Persuasion
Each year, names are put before members by the Nominations Committee for the post of President. The President is therefore chosen by members, albeit not necessarily the majority of them. Their choice is made not by virtue of who the candidate is, but because they believe he is suitable. He is "elected" by volunteers, not employees. He is not a boss, nor is he a paid manager. If he does things which members do not like or appreciate, they leave the club, avoid meetings, or withhold support The President must get members to do things without being able to command them. This alone is a skill worth passing on to new presidents.
Passing on Knowledge and Experience
The experience of a President is different from that of a member. His position of leadership of a club gives him the opportunity to acquire knowledge specific to Lionism, e.g. filling up of M & A forms; working knowledge of who District Cabinet Officers are and what they do; issues affecting the whole Lions movement in the district and internationally. Lessons learned from mistakes made in organising projects and activities, and in judgement of people and events, are invaluable to his successors.
The Past President should:
Since most clubs do not keep their history on permanent record, the PP is a valuable resource to provide continuity in club activities and programmes. He is able to give background information on projects and activities which otherwise may be lost in time.
Should Past Presidents Serve As Club Officials?
After having served as President for one term, should a member be asked to serve again in other club positions such as Secretary, Treasurer, or VP? The answer is yes and no.
Yes, because there will be no problems filing the M&A reports, and also because some clubs cannot get enough of other members to do these essential jobs.
No, because if the important positions are always held by the older/more senior members, then there will be less motivation for new members to join. They may see that they have no role to play in the club.
On balance, it is better for the PPs not to hold office. Rather, they should get new members to take up office, and guide them in their jobs. It is therefore important for all clubs to have constant infusion of new members, because no matter how active a member is, he will tire after some time. New blood provides energy, enthusiasm, and a new perspective. The PPs must help to ensure that the club inducts new members continuously.
How Should Clubs Make Use Of the Past Presidents?
Pareto’s Principle (80% of the work is done by 20% of the people) is alive and well in all Lions Clubs. The able may not be willing, while the willing may not be able. Members of a club, especially the new President, will be wise to use the PPs well, because they are valuable assets to the club. The PPs should be made to feel that they still have a vital role to play in the club.
To tap their experience and knowledge fully, members and the new President should:
If the club has the misfortune of not having the help of the PPs, then it will be reinventing the wheel. The new President will need to learn things all over again, and the club will not enjoy continuity of a collective experience.
The End
The Gardens’ Grapevine - May 1997 Page 6