Sunday, November 12, 2017

ASK!

Dick Woods, formerly of the Wenatchee Lions and now with the Willapa Harbor Lions, is a 50 year Lion.

During his years he has brought 102 people into the Lions. That sounds like an amazing accomplishment but Dick, a modest straight talker, downplays it a bit saying, “That’s about two a year.”

There is no magic potion or trick to it. Lion Dick says, “The key word is ASK. You have to ASK. ASK Have you ever heard of the Lions? ASK Do you know what Lions do? ASK Has anyone ever invited you to a Lions club meeting?”

He says, “There are prospective Lions everywhere.However you meet a person just bring up the subject. ASK!”

Dick Woods continues, “In September and October on Friday and Saturday our club sells tickets to the Rain Derby. If they get the next year’s rain amount right they win $5,000. It’s an eleven year old project.  While selling tickets outside the grocery, I talked to a 40 year old gentleman and invited him to our club meeting. He’s “retired” after 12 years in the military. He wants to get involved. He wants to volunteer. He came to last week’s meeting. He’s bringing his application to the next meeting.

Dick said, “We did an open house last March. Everyone ASKed someone to attend. Our Past District Governor spoke.  The meeting was only a half hour long. 10 people joined that night.”

I pressed Dick a little harder on what worked best for him besides just ASKing. He said, “First thing I ASK, Do you know anything about the Lions? Then I tell a quick Helen Keller story because everyone knows about her. I tell them about the 1925 convention where she ASKed us to be Knights of the Blind? We’ve been that ever since. That usually gets people interested.

Every Lion has contact with somebody. In your work place, at church, at the store, anywhere. If you talk to people, most often there will be a time to bring up Lions.

You have to ASK.

I’ve been ASKing for 50 years.”

What an inspiration! 

 

At the 2017 MD19 Convention in Surrey, British Columbia out going Secretary Treasurer Patty Allen  had some fun on her Lion safari crowning Dick Woods  "King of the Lion Hunters!"