The annual Mid-Winter Rally of Kansas Lions will take on a Southern flavor as they play host to Past International Director Haynes and Donna Townsend of Dalton, Ga., Jan. 13-15,  at the Ramada Convention Center in Salina.
The Kansas Lions Council of District Governors holds four meetings each year to assess progress towards goals for community service by the 7,000 Kansas Lions who serve with the 290 clubs from all parts of the state. In addition, most of the State Committees and Lions Foundation Boards will meet to evaluate annual goals.
The Kansas Lions Council of Governors is the controlling authority of Kansas Lions. They are: DG Ralph Rodgers of 17-L (west); DG Marion Schroll of 17-I (north-central); DG Clint Vawter of 17-O (north-east); DG Helen LeBlanc of 17-N (south-central); and DG Mel Green of 17-S (south-east).  The Council Chairperson is Michele Huffard of Louisberg.
Magistrate Court Judge Haynes Townsend is a genuine “southern gentleman,” with a kindly smile for everyone he meets and sporting the traditional southern bow tie.  He has recently been honored as “Judge of the Year” by the State of Georgia. 
PID Townsend has held many offices in Lionism, and received numerous awards including three Lion of the Year Awards, 15 District Governor Appreciation Awards, the Ervin-Crumbley Award, District 18-A Hall of Fame Award, six International Presidential Certificates of Appreciation, two International Leadership Awards, an International Presidential Award, a Membership Key Award, a Knight of Strength Award, and is a progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.  Judge Townsend and his wife Donna, also a Lion and a Melvin Jones Fellow, have two daughters.
The International Association of Lions Clubs is the world’s largest community service organization with 1.35 Million members in 45,000 clubs, in 206 countries of the world.  In Kansas there are 7,000 Lions serving in 290 clubs, all dedicated to serving their hometown communities.