LEOs Learn Lionism at Their State Convention

The Leos Club officers of Wimberley’s  Katherine Ann Porter School attended all three days of theMD2 State Leo Conference.    This was the 3^rd annual statewide Leos Conference.  Fifty attended the first, one hundred attended the second and around two hundred attended the November 12-14, 2010 conference in Austin.

The attendees from KAPS Leos were  Chaley Eseness, President; Franklin Demaree, Treasurer; Bonnie Gibson, Secretary, and Nick Richards, alternate Vice President.   Also attending the conference all day Saturday were nine Wimberley High School Leos and their advisor, Lion John Stark.

The Lions club advisors were ‘firmly’ advised by State Leo Chairperson Daisy Taylor to step back and allow the Leo’s Clubs to create their own visions. By the end of the conference, many advisors were awed and amazed by the creativity, energy, and boundless optimism of the Leos Clubs as they embraced their own variety of fellowship in community service.

Lion Daisy reminded Leos and Lions advisors  that fun must be a prime component in a Leos Club.  The opening night activities included pizza and swimming at the Embassy Suites Pool.  The Saturday sessions began with after opening with breakout  50 minute sessions of leadership training, plus charities round table.

Keynote speaker and Texas Leo of the Year, Aaron Beaman, explained how all Leos shared the qualities of Leo of the Year if encouraged to ‘go beyond their limits’.  The rest of the afternoon was a blend of cheerleading by individual Leo’s clubs as they boastfully shared stories about their service projects.  The cheering was interspersed by ticket drawings and tossing of Leos Frisbees and Chocolate Eyeballs.  Saturday evening included dinner at Dave and Busters plus $10 in tickets for the giant video game extravaganza.  The final event of the evening was a black light teen dance at the Embassy Suites ballroom.  All meals and activities were covered in the $50 conference admission fee.

The Sunday morning session, beginning at 9:00, was punctually attended by so many Leos Clubs and advisors that even though additional chairs were brought in, the back and sides of the room were filled with standing room only attendees.  Impromptu changes were required for this last session, but Lion Daisy made sure that the focus of the conference remained on the individual Leos Clubs and that each clubs attendees were called forward for pictures and recognition.

As adults we cannot teach this “fire of giving”, only open the pathway; but once the path is chosen freely it may be there for a lifetime.   Being an advisor at an event such as State Leo Conference is an opportunity to  open those pathways  and be inspired by the fountain of youth embodied in our Leos Club leaders.

Guest Contributor – Wimberley Lion Linnea Bailey 

Lion relies on her 3rd grade teaching skills to tame crowd

Wimberley Lions Field contains over 490 vendor booths leased to annual lease holders.  Usually, 10% to 15% of these Lease Holders have conflicts or are sick on a typical Market Day and are no shows.  The Wimberley Lions Club attempts to fill those vacancies with Day Renters.  Day Renters complete the market injecting new products and treasures.  Many become annual lease holders because of their day rental success.  This process is challenged during November and December.  Christmas is everyone's mind, the weather is pleasant, and the shoppers are plentiful.  The Wimberley High School Texan Cheer Leaders counted 10,500 shoppers and 1,000 vendors and volunteers on the field this last Saturday.

This November Market Day's inventory showed 38 empty booths and 105 vendors signed up online for day rental provided the challenge for Lion Rebecca  Stoian, Day Lease Manager.   This is where her 3rd grade school teaching experience comes in handy.  She gets the crowds attention.  She tells them they must fill out the rental form.  If they do not have their completed rental form and sales tax form in their hand, They go to the end of the line.  She makes them line up in the order the number they got off of the internet.  She gives each her undivided focus for a short amount of time and quickly dispatches them where they can set up their wares.  Because of the demand greater than the supply, Rebecca has information about locked booths with some room between the booth and street where someone can set up.  Even grassy knolls become vendor space.  She had labeled tables set up on the pavilion for vendors.

Rebecca is supported by both Lions and Volunteers. Pictured Lion Harold Hudnall and Volunteer Bill Brown of the Hill Country Community Band.  They are taking the rental fees, issuing passes, and giving the renters their parking and driving on the field instructions.  Volunteer Ann Rollings also helps in this area.  Booth inventory is accomplished by Lions Larry Thomas, Harold Hudnall, Frank Williams, Lane Hartsock, Dan Williams, Morris Haggerton, and Cris Criswell.  Most of the gate attendance is managed by Lions Linnea Bailey and Bob Pierce with their crew of great LEOs from Katherine Ann Porter School.  KAP LEOs are led by their President Chaley Esensee.  There is also the staffing of the late arrival call in phone from 5:45 until 7:30.  It all starts with Lion Annette Harrington staffing the Day Rental call in on Thursday.

Spending an average of  37 focused seconds for each of the 105 vendors, Lion Rebecca eliminated the crowd in slightly over an hour sending them out to have a wonderful day selling their wares and putting $4,505 into the Lion's coffers for field repair and donations.