In a World of Service

Dear Lion,

I am happy to welcome you to your year as a Lion leader and am proud to stand beside you In a World of Service. It will be an exciting year in which we honor our Lions heritage and take on new challenges. We will strive for excellence in our traditional missions of service. I will also be asking you to do some things that Lions have never done before and call on all Lions to be agents of change. Our clubs and our association must evolve to meet the changing needs of our communities and the world.

As an educator, I am especially excited to introduce the Reading Action Program (RAP). Education - especially the ability to read and write - empowers individuals and communities to shape their own futures. Yet nearly a quarter of the world's population cannot read this sentence. We Lions can multiply our impact by encouraging literacy and providing the means for people - especially young children - to learn to read. There are many ways to get involved in RAP and I ask you to make it a priority throughout the year.

Growing up in Indiana, the Midwest region of the United States, I have been interested in the worldwide Indianapolis 500 auto race. I am impressed by the dedication, preparation and teamwork of the racing teams. I think of our club and district teams in the same regard. To run a race you must have a road map or a plan. I ask that each club use the Club Excellence Awardand district to use the District Governor Team Excellence Awardto achieve success. As with pit stops in racing I will also ask your club and district to pause briefly four times this year for intensive self-evaluation. I strongly believe that the step-by-step approach of these "pit-stops" will foster the excellence we seek to better serve the world.

Thank you in advance for all you will do and I hope that you look forward to the next 12 months with as much enthusiasm as I.

Sincerely,

Wayne A. Madden