San Diego

The San Diego meet-up brought together chairmen and members from throughout North America and beyond.  Cheers and thanks for Simon Tissington, Chairman of the San Diego Lions for being the point-person and host of this year's meet-up.  From the Shakespeare Pub on Friday night, to the Bluefoot Bar for the early morning match, to opening up his home for an afternoon of tacos and swimming, then a Sunday lunch gathering at the Wonderland Ocean Pub - it was a great time had by all!

At some point in the future, we will host an annual meet-up in Northern California.  Most likely in San Francisco.  August would be a great month to be in the City.  Weather is great and lots to do.

Next year's meet-up is already being discussed amongst the North America chairmen - with the location TBA early next year.

California Lions Club Kit

Toying with the idea of creating a kit for the California Lions Club.  Came up with a crest that I like.

I didn't realize how difficult it is to locate a teamwear company that does a "claret & blue" kit.  This is especially difficult to find in the U.S.  Some thoughts that have bounced around in my head.

Detroit "Lions" and Update on FB

So I just heard that the newest U.S.-based Lions Club has been established in Detroit.  The Detroit Lions Club headed up by Mike Pearson.  UTV! 

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Have started a page on Facebook using the FB "Page" format.  The orodinal AVFC California FB page used their old "Groups" format which has only basic admin features compared to the updated "Page" format that is now used by most businesses and organziations.  I'm in the middle of moving as many of the AVFC California photos to the new page.  I will keep both pages up for a little while and then will give a warning with a date when the old "Groups" page will disappear.

Chicago 2013

It has been a busy month as preparations are being made for the FIRST meet-up of North American Lions Club branches set for 17 August 2013 in Chicago USA.  Simon Leach, chairman of the Chicago Lions Club has taken up the lead in organizing this first of what we hope will turn into an annual event.  The focus of the weekend will be joining together at The Globe Pub in Chicago to watch Villa take on Arsenal at The Emirates.

On Friday 16 Aug a match has been scheduled between AV Lions Club vs The Globe Pub team.  We will also be running a fundraiser for Acorns in conjunction with the weekend activities.  It is only a few weeks away!  A couple of us California Lions will be making the trip out to Chicago to participate in the festivities.  Up The Villa!

Villa Reach 1M Facebook Fans!

Wow.  Aston Villa has reached 1 Million Facebook fans - amazing.  AVFC California received a shout out from Eric Lichaj on the video produced to celebrate 1 millionth FB "Like".  It is so great to be a small part of this legendary football club!

AVFC California

Birmingham for the Holidays

It's been great helping some California Lions who will be traveling to Birmingham for the holidays sort out tickets for December, January, and February home matches.   Probably one of the most satisfying duties of a Lions Club Chairman. Also, will be getting the AVFC California flag to one of the traveling members so he can fly the California Lions colors at Villa Park.

Membership Cards, Skype, and the Birmingham Mail

I finally got membership cards into the mail to all California Lions Club members.  It took a little time, but I'm excited about the continued growth of the club (80+ members now on the books).  It was nice to receive a "chairman's" pin from Villa + a couple of Lions Club scarves.

The first chairmen's meeting is scheduled right before the upcoming match against Swansea City.  I emailed in a suggestion of maybe trying to set up a simple Skype connection for some of us to "join" in from afar.

One of our members was home visiting family in the UK over the summer and he had to miss our July trip to Portland.  While he was on holiday, he picked up a copy of the Birmingham Mail and there was a short article about the California Lions!  I really appreciated his effort to bring an actual copy of the paper back to the States for me!

Reflections on Portland 2012

It has been about 24 hours since our AVFC California journey to Portland for the friendly versus the Portland Timbers ended.  I was exhausted, but it was all worth it.  There was some level of planning involved (buying, collecting payments, distributing tickets, arranging for a hotel group discount, preparing for the raffle, working with Aston Villa, Portland Timbers, Timbers Army, Kelly's Olympian, and The Bitter End) and then all of the coordination as the events unfolded.  I was so pleased with the turnout and how flexible and helpful everyone was during the events.  Having Ian Taylor at Kelly;s Olympian was a hit with our membership and that brought great satisfaction.  Would I have done anything different?  Maybe encourage more members to join us on the next one, have an Acorns banner made and have Acorns literature available to educate folks more as part of the charity raffle, and arrange for a supporters game like they had in Philly and Chicago.

This is another step forward in the growth of AVFC California.  This trip helped draw us together as a California Lions family and also provided us even greater exposure to Villa supporters from other parts of the U.S. and also back in Birmingham.  Can't wait until the next time!  (Maybe at Villa Park?)

...will need to get in touch with Tom Hanks :)

  

Well, the time has come!

California Lions are preparing for travel with some already in transit to Portland.  Meet-ups are set.  Open training.  Acorns raffle.  At this point, its time to just let everything roll out on its own.  It should be a great time.  I'm really hoping that the Acorns raffle generates a lot of interest and money for Acorns.  Villa's connection with Acorns is what drew me to Villa in the first place and now we have a California Lions branch with close to 80 members on our roster.

Portland prep (con't)

Working on logistics for the Acorns raffle, but it is coming together.  I had some buttons made a couple of weeks ago to give out to AVFC California members in Portland and then thought name tags would be nice to have for members to connect with one another.  Figured out a way to use the buttons and make a name tag by adding 1/2 of an index card.  Its good because it will serve its purpose as a name tag, but it isn't permanent and can function alone as a button still.

Portland is Drawing Near

It is the eve of the start of the U.S. Tour for Villa.  It is amazing to read about the planning and activities that have been planned for by other U.S. Lions Club chairmen with AVFC.  Out tour stop is Portland Oregon.  Because there isn't a Lions Club in Oregon, our club - AVFC California - has stepped up to take a lead role in planning activities for Villa supporters coming to Portland.  The pleasant surprise in taking the plunge on this event,  I have encountered so much support and cooperation from AVFC marketing staff, Portland Timbers marking staff, The Timbers Army, our own AVFC California members, and all the Villa supporters on Facebook.  

I am feeling a little nervous about it all as it draws closer.  Will it be an enjoyable time for all?  Have I gotten to far over my head?  Should I be doing more?  At this point, I really don't have enough time to plan anything additional.  Its time to just let it happen and the Claret and Blue spirit will take over.  This is AVFC California's first "formal" meet-up other than at our pubs on match day.  Gonna have to figure out a creative way to have members wear name tags that have some Villa spirit.  I guess I do still have some thinking and work to do before the 24th!  UTV!

Working on Portland

Still busy working on activities related to the Portland trip.  We are fortunate in being able to confirm that Ian Taylor will join us for our AVFC California gathering on match day.  I haven't had the opportunity to meet Ian in person yet, but from what I can tell from video and podcasts, he seems like a great guy and loves to be in contact with the fans.

We are hoping to also schedule an opportunity for members to attend an open practice, but Villa is still working on this with the Timbers.

Also still working hard to get the word out on our store to support Acorns Children's Hospice! http://www.cafepress.com/avfccalifornia     We have raised some money already, but want to raise so much more.

California - A Vast Place

In my next few posts, I wanted to touch upon what it is like coordinating a Lions Club in such a large geographic place such as California.  This post just provides some basic geography facts.

Some geography facts:

* 163,695 sq. mi./423,970 sq. km - 3rd largest state (behind Alaska and Texas)
* 1,200 mi./1,931 km of coast line along the Pacific Ocean
* 400 mi./644 km - length of Sierra Nevada mountain range
* 14,494 ft./4,418 m. - Mount Whitney (tallest point in the lower 48 states)
* 282 ft./86 m. below sea level - Death Valley (lowest point in North America)
* Coast, mountain, desert climates

AVFC California is based in the San Francisco Bay Area

You are going where?

So I'm heading over to Birmingham for the final home game vs Spurs and to also play in the Chairmen's game on the same day.  Telling friends here in the U.S. where and why I am traveling to Birmingham is always an adventure.  Those who are football fans totally get it and are excited for me.  Some say, "Aston what?".  While others might say, "Interesting."  The way I see it, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity - to play on the Villa Park pitch!
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On another note - I wonder how hard would it be to connect more with the U.S. Lions Clubs?  Obviously, the geographic differences make meeting up regularly impossible.  Do we talk about doing someone annually?  It is great to hear about all of the activity that this summer's tour is creating all across the U.S.  Looking forward to creating great U.S. hospitality for our Villa lads.

Support Stan...in Portland!

I was fortunate to have been in contact with both the Portland Timbers and Aston Villa today with a request to have the "Support Stan" graphic shown on the in-stadium screen at Jeld Wen Field in July for a 19th minute applause for Stiliyan.  The Timbers organization was happy to help out and Aston Villa will arrange to have the image emailed for use in Portland.  Alot of thanks to the Timbers for being open to the idea and to provide a response very quickly.  It will be nice for Villa supporters living in the western U.S. to be able to participate in a 19th minute ovation for our captain.     

Processing Tickets

Just received the group tickets for the Villa/Portland Timbers match and spent a little time tonight processing them to send them out to those members I have received payments from already.  Its pretty exciting to have this event coming up in July.  With the physical tickets in hand - it is starting to feel very REAL now.  Being part of a supporters group so far from Birmingham has its challenges.  Since AVFC California covers the entire state, we are spread out geographically.  This Portland trip will be great to have a bunch of us together in one place.  I know that the English chairmen have there own set of challenges too (buying match tickets, arranging coaches, away fixture travel, etc.).  Technology helps keep some of us Villans abroad in touch and connected with the Club.

Also received my Spurs match ticket from Birmingham in the post today.

So...why Villa?

Being a native Californian that grew up playing the typical American team sports (baseball, American football, and basketball). my interest in the Beautiful Game came on late in life.  In 2004-2005, I began to take an interest in my local Major League Soccer (MLS) side San Jose Earthquakes and went to a few games.  A couple of years later, I began following the major European leagues on television.  Understanding a season that involves league games, cup games, derbys, Champions League, Europa League, etc. was mind boggling at first.  Since so many Premiership games are now televised in the States and that it is known as the most popular league in the world - it only made sense to pick a Premiership team to support.

I am also a volunteer at a local East Bay pediatric palliative care facility called the George Mark Children's House.  I had heard about Acorn's Children's Hospice - which had facilities that George Mark Children's House was modeled after.  One day, while continuing to search for a team to follow in the Premiership, Acorns had just become Villa's charity partner (and shirt sponsor at that time).  I thought, "Was this the same "Acorns" that I knew about?"  Sure enough it was and my search for a Premiership team to support and follow ended.  It had to be Aston Villa.  I made sure that I would own each of the shirts that Villa had worn with Acorns as the shirt sponsor.

In 2009, I discovered the Aston Villa Lion's Club network.  At that time, there were no U.S.-based clubs in the west.  On a whim - I started AVFC California.  in the last 3 seasons, our membership has grown to 60+ (most based in either the Los Angeles area and San Francisco area).

It is amazing how in a short period of time, I have become a Villan.  I remember hearing people talk about  Villa being in their blood because of homeland, family, etc. tied to Birmingham.  I like to think that Villa is also in my blood.  The only difference is that it has taken me 50 years to discover it!

UTV