and Bermuda district have a hard time keeping up with its pace.

So said Dudley Cottingham, the current Bermuda Zone chairman, at the Hamilton Lions weekly meeting at the M.R. Onions restaurant.

Mr. Cottingham addressed his fellow Lions about the structure of the Zone and his duties as chairman.

He said an example of the strength of the club's programmes are the existence of the six Leo clubs in the Island's schools.

"I believe our Leo Club programme is one of the most important aspects of Lionism in Bermuda,'' Mr. Cottingham said. "I would like to see a Leo Club in every high school and middle school.'' In the 20th Lions District there is only one other Leo Club, and the district includes all of Long Island, New York.

He added: "I encourage you to visit them and work with them and generally nurture the development and continuation of those clubs as they are the future of not only Bermuda but also Lionism in Bermuda.'' Mr. Cottingham explained his vision of Lionism in Bermuda was one of an integrated movement of all Lions, Lionesses, and Leos.

"It is my view that as long as we serve our communities,'' he said. "It matters not whether it is a Club project or a zone project because we are all working toward the same goal.'' He added: "I would like to see all the clubs work even closer together as I believe by doing so our accomplishments can be even greater. This will assist us in gaining new members for all of our clubs.'' The Lions movement in Bermuda include; Hamilton, Paget, Sandys, Eastern, Hamilton Lioness, Eastern Lioness, and Somers Lioness Clubs.

The Leo clubs are; Berkeley Institute, Bermuda High School for Girls, Saltus, Spice Valley, CedarBridge Academy, Bermuda Institute, and Warwick Academy.

Mr. Cottingham said he hoped a club would be starting at Whitney Institute soon.

Lions pay just $8 a year in membership dues and its surplus helps run three major campaigns to help the community: Sight Conservation, an endoscopic printer, and its Lions Quest programme.

As chairman, Mr. Cottingham leads the monthly Zone meeting which he said was the envy of other zones who usually have only three or four. His duties are to help the movement grow by attending a meeting of each club during the first quarter of his yearly term, and assist them in the usual problems that arise during the year.

Zone chairmen must also attend international meetings by representing the Island.

He highlighted the work during the past year of past zone chairman Marc Morobito and Lioness Jane Amaral.

Mr. Morobito was responsible for completing the project to purchase an endoscopic suite for King Edward VII Memorial Hospital while Mrs. Amaral chairs the Zone's Sight and Hearing committee.

Mr. Cottingham said: "The Sight and Hearing committee is the hardest working of all the zone committees.'' He added: "It assists over 100 people each year with the purchase of eye glasses, surgery, and counselling.'' Lions also support a sight screening programme in pre-schools every year.

Dudley Cottingham