Fellow Lions, Leos & friends, this is the first of 10 columns I will write for CNews this year. I look forward to communicating with you through your district newsletter, and many other ways.

First, let me start by saying Thank You! Thank you for electing me as your governor. Thank you for all your support during my campaign and my term as your Vice District Governor. Thank you to DG Paul for leading us for the past year. It has been an honor and a privilege for me.

My theme for our coming Lions year is TEAM. Together Everyone Achieves More. There is a fancy word called synergy - the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual. It means that by working together, we can bring results far greater than individuals working alone. I believe that we, as a TEAM, can continue to maintain the great reputation and tradition of our District 22C, and grow it to even greater heights.

Our International President, Eberhard Wirfs, has as his personal theme - Move to Grow. In order to grow, we must be willing and able to move forward. Moving to create new opportunities for community service; moving to create new ideas and opportunities for fund raising; Moving to develop Lions Leaders; moving to increase our membership.

The key to any successful endeavor is adequate resources. The greatest of our resources is YOU, the Lions and Leos of District 22C. It is you, and your club, that can and will make us grow. Our growth in membership, new clubs, new branch clubs, new Leo clubs, all will combine to make us better and better able to fulfill our motto of We Serve.

Look around you. Locate that new service project, that new fund-raiser, that NEW MEMBER. You are the eyes, ears and heart of the district. My job as your governor is to facilitate your efforts. The way to do this is through Cooperation and Communication. By staying in contact with your fellow Lions and Leos, by reading your Lions magazine, your club newsletter, 22C News, and perhaps one of our greatest assets, the Lions International Web Site, we can work together as a TEAM to achieve our goals.

In addition to this column in CNews, there will be excerpts from one of my University of Maryland textbooks throughout the year. (That's right - I am currently a Senior at the University) They will hopefully give you some good ideas that you can use along with your own in order to be a better part of your community.

On a personal note, my Partner in Service, Lion Julie, and I look forward to visiting with you throughout the coming year. Let me end with the same words that I started with -Thank You - Thank you from the bottom of my heart. God Bless You and God Bless America.

Let Us Do Together, What We Cannot Do Alone

Yours in Lionism,

DG Bill Thomas (8/15)