New Lions District 202M governor from Dannevirke Host Club

Lions District 202M Governor Murray Pringle.

Not since Peter Holyoake in 1984-5 has Dannevirke Host Lions Club had the privilege of having one of its own members rise to Governor of a Lions District but on Saturday, July 18, Murray Pringle was formally inducted and just as significantly another member of the Dannevirke Host Lions Simon Williams was inducted as First Vice-District Governor to follow when Murray's term ends this time next year.

New District Governor Murray Pringle is inducted by senior Lions David McDonald and Jo Cameron as part of the induction of the new 202M cabinet in a mock court format in MCI's Boardroom Dannevirke.

For Murray, it has been a busy decade in Lions since being introduced as a member of the Wellington Pride club in 2010. When this club went into recess he and sponsor Simon Williams transferred to the Dannevirke Host Lions and Murray became its president in 2014-15.

Murray had already been on the Lions District Cabinet as its constitutional advisor and upon relinquishing his presidency of Lions Host he became a zone chairman for two years before becoming Second Vice-District Governor.

For Murray, his year as District Governor of 202M (extending from Gisborne to Wellington on the east coast and including Kapiti) is a huge challenge just in the travel alone. There are 47 clubs totalling more than 1000 Lions. He is proud Dannevirke Host is the second largest numerically in the district.

Complicating all the stewardship expected of a district governor is the Covid-19 pandemic which has massively complicated the training, communication and support of Lions International.

For a start the Lions International Convention in Singapore at which Murray would have been formally inducted was cancelled and multiple district conventions in Australia and New Zealand were also cancelled.

Instead, all the district governors of Australasia were inducted remotely with International President Choi of South Korea in late June. The seven New Zealand district governors were together at a retreat at Hanmer Springs for that weekend.

Lions International Headquarters at Oak Brook, Illinois, US, has been in recess since the end of February although Murray was able to squeeze in a training week at the start of that month with 1000 other district governors-elect in Illinois.

He returned to New Zealand to quarantine. He has also 20 hours of online training in governorship and International Lionism.

The entire Lions International Board was re-elected including International President Choi. His theme "Diversity With Kindness" reflects the global pandemic crisis.

For District Governor Murray, his theme is "Looking Forward With 2020 Vision," one he chose last year before the world changed.

He sees his priority is to encourage membership and support the clubs, some of which have struggled not being able to meet together and serve the community during lockdown.

He says it is all the more important that the clubs get out and continue the great work they have been able to do as restrictions lifted.

He is also keen to promote the Wellington Playscape Project for which three Lions Districts (202M, 202D and 202E – Southern North Island and Northern South Island) are trying to raise $500,000.

This will build a specially equipped playground at the new Wellington Children's Hospital.

While Dannevirke Host Lions has just concluded its annual book sale selling more than 10,000 books mostly at $1 each, Murray is keen to alert people to a book fair with a difference at Silverstream in October at which some first editions from the National Library will be sold. These will cost more than $1!