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Lions Leaders the World Over
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June 28, 2010
Dear Lion Larson,
Greetings my dear Lion friends. As we approach the final days of 2009-10, I'm pleased to report that our overall net membership growth this year should likely be around +26,000 or even better -- marking the third consecutive year of positive growth and the best results in the modern history of our association. This is truly great, and I'm so proud of you all.
Moreover, it appears all areas will have improved results over the recent past. More districts are now showing positive growth, the average club size is improving, and nearly 1700 new clubs have been formed all over the world. We are also nearing a very historic milestone in reaching 300,000 women members, which by itself is a huge success.
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Update on MERL - A new day and a new direction
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The main reason why I'm writing today is to relay the decisions just taken at our international board meeting concerning the MERL program. I wrote to you previously informing you that a plan was being developed by a special committee to restructure and replace MERL. That work is now done and we have a new direction.
But first let me state that the historic objective of MERL was never in question. Looking back, it's clear that MERL was a good idea when first implemented more than a decade ago - a right idea for that particular time. It brought more emphasis to membership development and its core components. However, today we find its results and its impact are still somewhat elusive.
We also have some important new structures -- such as the Global Membership Team and the new DG Teams -- that have now taken on more responsibility for membership development. So we needed to find a new way ahead to restructure and ultimately replace MERL, to adapt to the new situation and to pursue new opportunities.
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The New Way Ahead
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Expanding the Global Membership Team (GMT) and creating a parallel Global Leadership Team (GLT) to replace MERL
After many, many months of careful planning and deliberation, your board has developed an innovative plan to replace MERL beginning in 2010-11. It involves three important steps:
Expanding the Global Membership Teamdown to the multiple district and district level. This will create, for the first time, a complete bottom-to-top team, touching from the club level all the way up to the international president. Also to further clarify roles and responsibilities, the DG Teams will lead the GMT unit at the district level with the help of a GMT Coordinator and a surrounding support team.
Consolidating the Membership, Extension, and Retention (M-E- and R) chairs and their functions into a 'one team approach' where all three functions are integrated in order to enhance accountabilities and reduce overlapping roles in the previous M-E and R positions.
Separating the Leadership function from M-E & R and elevating the function into its own parallel structure known as the Global Leadership Team (GLT), to work alongside GMT at all levels in a very highly integrated and interdependent fashion.
The overall purpose of expanding GMT and creating GLT seeks to address three basic goals: continued growth, improved club success, and ultimately better leadership development to ensure that LCI remains the world's global leader in community and humanitarian service. Read theexecutive summary for further information.
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The Path Forward
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This upcoming year will be one of transition. I know that some districts may not be fully ready to move in the new way right away. That's understandable, but we must at least begin taking the first steps. For those districts and multiple districts with active and hard-working MERL teams, of course they may continue to use them in 2010-11 while preparing a transition to the new structure by 2011-12. But those with inactive or expiring MERL teams can, and should, move more quickly to the new approach.
Be assured there will be many more communications coming out in the weeks and months ahead. But I wanted to share these highlights with you as Lion leaders because it's important that you see the road map and be kept informed.
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Again we have much to be proud of this year. But our success will only be clearer if we will help those who are taking over for us to move ahead even farther.
In that regard, I wish everyone great success with each and every step you take. I especially want to extend very best wishes to our incoming leaders - especially our incoming district governors - and of course to my dear friend and close colleague, Sid Scruggs, our incoming international president in 2010-11. He has a wonderful theme emphasizing and seeking to grow our service, which is absolutely critical to our continued success. Please join me in giving him our utmost support as he leads our dear association to even greater success.
In the meantime, next year I will be speaking to you as Chairperson of the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). So it's not farewell or goodbye -- just a final greeting and thank you from this side.
With cordial regards,
Eberhard J. Wirfs
International President
MOVE TO GROW
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