Convention tips
A GUIDE TO LIONS 105SC DISTRICT CONVENTION
Friday Night
Arrive in good time to settle in, remember you will always find somebody to chat with so allow a bit of extra time to get to your room.
The social night on Friday is the 'Host night', which for some is a themed fancy dress night although many will simply wear smart casual clothing for the event.
Some Club Presidents or experienced Lions may host a drinks party in their room before the evening commences. Host night is scheduled to start at 7:00pm, so if there is a party it will probably be at around 6:30pm. Other Lions will simply meet in the hotel bar for a couple of drinks before being called in to dinner, the bar in the ballroom will be open at 7pm.
- TIP. Include in your luggage a couple of bottles of wine so that if invited to a party you have a bottle to take with you.
- TIP. When you register, your pack will include tickets for the social events. Make sure you bring them with you to events as we cannot guarantee entry without tickets.
- TIP. Include in your luggage some bottled water for consumption in your room, it's always expensive buying it from the bar.
Saturday
This is the main day as we hold the Convention today, the District's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Breakfast will be served from 6:45am, it tends to get busy around 8am so that everyone is ready for the convention. Don't leave it too late getting down for breakfast, although it can be a challenge if you were late to bed the night before!
- TIP. Pack an alarm clock!
The doors to the convention room will be closed for the opening ceremony and will not re-open until that is finished. Dress for convention is optional; many Lions will wear blazers and a tie but others will wear club t-shirts or jumpers. Most people attending will dress reasonably smartly. Lions attending for the whole weekend will normally attend the opening ceremony with their partners. After the opening ceremony the doors open and the majority of partners leave to go on the outing.
There is an area of the convention room with a hearing loop in place, please use this area if you need to otherwise leave it clear for those who do. It is usually at the front and you will see a group of chairs surrounded with white tape on the floor.
First time attendees at Convention will have this marked on their badges, if you are an experienced Lion please chat to them and make them feel welcome.
- TIP. Make sure you bring your pre-booked lunch ticket with you for entry to the dining room. Couples should ensure that each has their own ticket with them.
Your fellow Lions spend the day listening to as much or as little of the business session as they wish. There is no three line whip and you are free to wander in and out of the room as often as you like BUT please respect others and try to move around quietly between sessions. Please respect the presenters and give them your support - some have come a long way to make these presentations. Do feel free to contribute to discussions at the appropriate time, remember it is your AGM.
The business session usually ends at 4:30pm.
Also, please find time to support the Lions exhibition. The representatives on these stands have given up their weekends so deserve as many visitors as possible.
Saturday evening sees the "District Banquet and Ball". The dinner commences at 7:00pm, again there may be pre-drinks parties in bedrooms before coming down so be ready by 6:30pm. Again, other Lions will simply meet in the hotel bar for a couple of drinks before being called in to dinner; the bar in the ballroom will be open at 7pm. Dress for the evening is formal, so it's dinner jackets for the men and posh frocks for the ladies (Only District Governors and Past District Governors wear white dinner jackets).
- TIP. There will be up to 120 people attending the Banquet and Ball, so ordering wine will be a bit stressful if you leave it until the evening.
- TIP. The seating plan will be on display during the day, again it's a good idea to find out where you are sitting before the evening.
The evening officially ends at midnight but from previous experience all sorts can now happen, some will retire to bed, others spend most of the night in the bar! Some impromptu parties in rooms also may just happen.
Sunday
This is a more gentle day, we realise that some may be feeling a bit delicate after the night before so we start at 10am, this also gives you time to have checked out of your rooms before business starts. Dress is much more casual i.e. no jackets or ties in evidence.
The business session will finish before lunch, those who have ordered it may enjoy a snack and then it will be time to pack the car and drive home carefully. Hopefully you will have really enjoyed your weekend and everything will have run smoothly and we can look forward to seeing you again at next year's Convention!
Please enjoy convention, if you have any problems over the weekend, ask any member of the host committee for help.
- TIP. Ensure you and any partner have your tickets for the snack.
- TIP. Timings may change so check the Convention Programme a few days beforehand.
Steve Spencer