Fellow Lions,

It is my honor to write to you as your District Governor. This newsletter goes to every member of District 33N — not just officers — because I believe you all deserve a direct line to what your district is doing and why it matters. Here is a little about me, where we’re headed together this year, and a look back at an unforgettable start in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

A Bit About Me

Why I Became a Lion

My path to Lions started with a simple invitation. My wife, Linda, has been a Lion far longer than I have — she joined back when we were living in Boston. Whenever the Boston Host Lions Club had a project or a program, she would ask if I wanted to help. More often than not, I said yes. I became a Lion myself in the Millennium year, and I’ve never looked back. Today my home club is the Wyoma Lions Club of Lynn.

I was born in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands — a city known for rolling up its sleeves and getting things done, a spirit I try to bring to everything I do. I came to the United States 22 years ago, with a few years in Belgium along the way. Over my years in Lions I’ve served as Club President of the Wyoma club and as our district’s GET Coordinator, each role deepening my belief in what we can accomplish together. Outside of Lions, I’m passionate about technology, photography, skiing, cycling, and good food.

Above all, I care deeply about service. It is what drew me in, and it is what keeps me here. So I was thrilled to see that this is exactly the spirit of our International President Mark Lyon’s theme for the year: Rooted in Service. That is where we begin.

The Story Behind My Pin

Dream Bold. Lead Wisely. Serve Always.

My Governor’s pin carries two homelands. On the left, the windmill, tulips, and Dutch colors honor the Netherlands, where my story began. On the right, the eagle, lighthouse, and American flag stand for the United States, the home I’ve built over the past 22 years. And at the center bottom, a single tree — because whatever our roots, we are all rooted in service.

My theme — Dream Bold. Lead Wisely. Serve Always. — is the same promise our district plan is built on: the courage to try new things, the wisdom to support our clubs well, and service that never wavers.

Goals for the District

The Direction of Our Service

Everything I hope to do this year rests on one simple idea: the district exists to support the clubs, and the clubs exist to support the members. That is the direction of our service. If a district initiative doesn’t ultimately help a club serve its members better, we should ask why we’re doing it.

Lions was founded on service, and the friendships we treasure grow strongest when we build them around serving together. Visible service is what drives visibility, and visibility is what drives our growth. The next generation is looking for impact, and we have so much of it to show. With that in mind, our year is organized around five priorities:

Planning the Year

What’s Ahead — Together

Here is how these priorities become real over the coming months. None of it is about adding work — it’s about connecting what we’re already doing and making it easier.

We’ll launch three district-wide service committees — Hunger, Nature & Environment, and Community Improvement — not to hand you projects, but to connect Lions across our clubs, spark ideas, and share what already exists. When one club needs a large BBQ or a PA system and another club has one sitting idle, we should all know about it. Before you rent it, ask the district.

On growth, the heart of it is simple: we live in a world that needs us. There is more good to do than any of us can manage alone — and the only way to serve more is to be more. That is what membership really means: not a number on a report, but another pair of hands for our communities. I’m especially inspired by the clubs that grow while they serve — when the community sees us at work, people want to be part of it. Our service is our best invitation.

Lions offers world-class leadership programs — most of them free — that too few of us even know exist. I’d like us to stop calling it “training” and start calling it what it is: opportunity.

And I’ll invite each of us into a small idea with a big reach: our LCIF “$10 a Month” campaign. That’s about the cost of two coffees — and pooled across our district, it funds disaster relief, vision programs, and humanitarian work around the world. No pressure and no guilt: just a simple, easy invitation for those who’d like to be part of it.

Your District Team

Serving Alongside You

None of this happens alone. I’m grateful for the Lions who have stepped up to serve alongside me this year — leaders anchoring every corner of District 33N.

Cabinet Secretary-Treasurer: Heidi Webster

Second Vice District Governor: Rob Leonard

Global Action Team

GMT — Membership: Joe Ward

GLT — Leadership: Beth Piocos

GST — Service: Meg Demonico

LCIF Coordinators:

Mark Alexander & Tony Speziale

Zone Chairs

Zone 1  Tony Speziale

Zone 2  Pamela Sudore

Zone 3  Chris Moore

Zone 4  Brady McCarron

Zone 5  Kristine Demonico

Zone 6  Dan Reilly

Key Dates

Mark Your Calendar

Aug 29 – Advisory Meeting #1

Nov 7 – Advisory Meeting #2

Jan 22–24 – Mid-Winter 33N

Mar 13 – Advisory Meeting #3

Apr 16–18 – State Convention

Jun 12 – Advisory Meeting #4

From Hong Kong to the Philippines

Where Service Came to Life

Our year began in Hong Kong with outstanding District Governor-Elect training, where I finally met my fellow DGs from Group 31 and our leader, Gary Anderson, in person. From there came an unforgettable Lions International Convention — inspiring keynotes, powerful presentations, and the joy of reconnecting with Lions from around the world. A special highlight was witnessing the induction of International President Mark Lyon and the launch of his theme, Rooted in Service. The week closed with the induction of the District Governors — a milestone I will treasure forever.

From Hong Kong, our journey continued to the Philippines, where service truly came to life. In Panay, we joined 82 Lions and 6 Leos from 22 clubs of District 301-B1 at their kickoff service project in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo — a community health fair providing eye screenings and free eyeglasses. Then came an unforgettable ferry ride to Negros, through stormy weather on the very last crossing before service was suspended! In Bacolod City, we joined 151 Lions from 16 clubs for another health fair serving more than 300 people: blood pressure and wellness checks, essential medications, eye exams, cataract surgery screenings, and again free eyeglasses.

The most moving moment was also the simplest: someone who had struggled to see would have their eyes measured, receive the right pair of glasses, and walk out able to see clearly again. Watching so many Lions work side by side to make moments like that happen was truly inspiring. This was a genuine multi-district effort — District 33N alongside 33K and 33S — and I’m grateful to our whole team, including my wife Lion Linda, for their dedication, and to the Lions of District 301-B1 for their warm hospitality and unwavering commitment to their communities.

“I could not have imagined a better beginning to this year. If this is how we start, I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together in the months ahead.”

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Governor. I respect our traditions, and I won’t be afraid to grow. The future of District 33N rests on all of us — together.

Yours in service,

Mark Erwich
District Governor, District 33N