Speech LCI President at the LCI Conference 2001 in Heidelberg
SPEECH FOR THE 42ND AGM OF LCI IN HEIDELBERG AUGUST 24TH 2001
DEAR LADIES,
It is with great pleasure that I present to you...
This little animal, better know as a LADYBIRD. This little bug comes in a lot of different species: red with black dots, black with orange dots, yellow with green dots, with 2 dots, 7 dots, 9 dots and even with 11 dots.
All over the world you will find these ladybirds. They are considered as very useful and helpful for the prosperous growing of plants.
These little beetles make a difference to the well being of the garden. And on the other hand for them to live well they need a juicy green garden. And that’s the reason why I wear this garden on my hat!
Why serviceclubs
Don’t worry; this will not become a lesson in biology. But in fact looking at your garden shows you on micro-level our society and the role that service clubs like Ladies’ Circle can play in it. For I think that service clubs – amongst others - make the difference to a lot of people and situations. Making this difference gives the meaning to the existence of service clubs. You make this difference for your fellow circlers every time that you meet on local, national and international level. Just look at the great experience of being here at the LCI conference!
Make the difference
You also make the difference every time you start a service project. It is a difference for the people that you help, but also for yourself.
Face it. If service clubs didn’t exist anymore, the world will still go on turning, but think of all the things that wouldn’t happen anymore, the pleasure that you won’t have in helping others, the fun that you won’t have together.
Choices
Society has changed and is changing constantly. Nowadays we have to make choices continuously as the possibilities have become enormous. So becoming member of Ladies’ Circle is one of the choices that woman can make. It’s up to us, members already of LCI, to make this choice worthwhile. It means that we should be alert on what we are doing and the way we are doing it. Not only brochures and websites are PR, but WE all are the best PR and marketing for LCI. Be proud of being a circler, wear the LCI guild pin or your national pin every day and tell about Ladies’ Circle. Be proud of the projects that you realize. But most of all enjoy being a member and show it!
Don’t be afraid of stepping out of your circle to get new and perhaps unexpected members. It is safe to look around in your own surroundings, but it is far more interesting and exciting to see past the end of your nose and in that way as well make a difference for your circle!
Communication
One thing that has developed these last years to something of daily use is the internet. LCI sends all the official information by e-mail, the Newsletter appears on the LCI website, questions come in by e-mail… It’s quicker, cheaper, more efficient. But we must not forget that, like the postman used to be, this is just the vehicle to carry the message from one person to another. The content of the message will be always the most important thing and the fact if the receiver has fully understood this message. In a big organisation as LCI communication will always have top priority and will be something to work on constantly. But this should be done by both ends of the line!
Year of the Volunteer
2001 is the International Year of the Volunteers. Although we don’t see ourselves like that we are all volunteers when we do our job for our service projects. We all give time and energy and we don’t expect to get something in return. For my work I am involved in organising a special event for the volunteers of my home town. I have noticed that without them our social structure would fall apart. Volunteers are the backbone of society. And in this special year I just wanted to stress how important their and your job is. Volunteers really make the difference!
As LCI president 2001-2002 together with the board I wil continue working on what others before me have started. I hope that we can do just one step further and try to think on a longer term base. Only then we can be sure of the continued existence of our organisation.
To summarize:
· let’s make a difference for membership. Look at what you have and then decide on what you need.
Don’t be afraid of the new and unexpected and be open minded and positive in this.
Help new circles and circle-countries to feel at home by contacting them and going to their charter if this is in your possibility.
· let’s keep on going to make the difference for all the people and situations when we work on the service projects. Let the international service project be part of your national circling. It deserves it!
· let’s improve the ways of communication by both sides. Don’t just wait for the LCI board to come up with something, but send in your ideas, critics, suggestions and alternatives. Make that difference in my mailbox!!!
· Let’s be aware of the wonderful network that LCI is. All over the world you will find fellow-circlers. In that way you can make a difference for someone who needs information or help for business and in private.
· Let’s keep our administration updated. Inform us when you discover something wrong or when a change is needed. The finance, rules and statues are our framework and that should be constantly maintained.
· Let’s commit ourselves to the aims and objects of our organisation by living and showing the motto in our daily life.
Ladies’ Circle is not about paperwork, it is about you, about me, about us and the difference that we make for others.
Thank you
A special thanks to the ladies of LC Germany for organising this wonderful conference, to the ladies of my own circle LC 40 Voorne and the ladies of LC The Netherlands for their constant support and friendship.
And I thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve you as your LCI president 2001-2002 together with the board.
Let’s make the difference, like the ladybird, in the garden that is called the world.
Thank you!
BRANDNEW LADYBIRD PIN for the LCI project Zambia. Only € 5.00 (excl. postage/package) a piece. Please e-mail vstern@lcvoorne.nl or your national board.
