PopularAnimatronic Pets Bring Real JoyIt was early August 2018, and Susan Matroni was listening to the evening news from her home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when she looked up and saw her mother on the television screen. “I don’t usually sit down and watch the news early, but for some reason I turned on the…more...LCI Forward UpdateThe world is moving forward and so is LCI. Five years ago LCI announced the strategic plan to serve 200 million people annually by focusing our efforts in areas we felt would best get us to that goal. It’s amazing what we’ve done so far. Over the past four years…more...When Seeing Clearly is a Luxury, Lions Create ChangeIn underserved areas of Utah, USA, eye care can be inaccessible and unaffordable. Lions, who care deeply about the welfare of their community, recognize the large number of children going without eye care and are working to provide the care they need.more...Clearing Clouded Vision in VanuatuClerence has battled diabetes since she was a baby. Unable to afford medical care, she developed cataracts which seriously impaired her vision. She lives in the gorgeous archipelago nation of Vanuatu, home to lush rainforests, soft sand beaches, and surrounded by turquoise water; however, the 23-year-old woman could no longer…more...A Blueberry Orchard for GenerationsAn Empty Space Next door to the Albany Victory Gardens in Albany, New York, were unsightly, deserted lots. There were homes on the land that were previously declared uninhabitable, so they sat empty, dangerous, and unbeneficial to the environment. Lion Gregory Sheldon envisioned a better use for this land. He…more...Past LCIF Support Prepares Sierra Leone for COVID-19From 2014 to 2016, Sierra Leone battled the Ebola virus. That battle helped prepare them for today's battle with COVID-19.more...All Eyes On NAMIIn 1917, Melvin Jones laid the groundwork for what would become an international beacon of kindness and service. In a relatively short time after Lions Clubs International’s founding, the organization grew beyond borders and cultural barriers, gaining members across the world. The organization today has more than 1.4 million members…more...LCIF Eases a Heavy Burden in TanzaniaImagine trekking across the savannah with your child in the blistering sun to collect water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and farming. For you, the three-mile journey is grueling, but standard practice. For your 5-year-old daughter, it’s an exhausting trip that brings sweat to her tiny forehead and introduces the challenges…more...Sight for Kids, a Powerful PartnershipSight for Kids, a Powerful Partnership Ben was 3 years old. He should have felt happy, inquisitive, and brave. Instead, he always seemed to have an angry expression on his face. He rarely smiled. In addition, he had delayed motor skills and difficulty walking; he would frequently run into things.…more...Empowering LionsThe LCIF Annual Report 2018 - 2019 Since 1968, LCIF has dedicated our energies to increasing the ability of Lions everywhere, helping them empower the communities they serve. With every grant we give, our history grows, along with the impact of Lions. Today, we could not be more proud of…more...KidSight Program Expands to Change Lives in ColombiaEsteban had never had his vision screened before. He had never seen those strange devices, but the Lions who brought them made him feel safe. He and his schoolmates lined up for vision testing, then followed the simple instructions: Look straight ahead and find the little bunny on the front…more...Campaign 100 Is Supporting New Opportunities for LionsCommunities around the world are in great need, facing challenges that seem to grow and multiply. Nevertheless, Lions work tirelessly – whether it is reaching out to neighbors across town or across borders – to create lasting positive change. Thanks to grants from LCIF, Lions receive the support they need…more...Lions Give Supplies and Smiles to Children in NeedLions Give Supplies and Smiles to Children in Need with the Help of a District & Club Community Impact Grant (DCG) Growing up without parents is hard enough. But it’s even worse when an orphanage is not able to provide everything children need to be happy and healthy. Despite loving…more...Around the World Without Leaving Your SeatFor more than fifty winters the DeWitt Noon Lions in Iowa have provided a remedy for cabin fever. A US$5 donation to Lions buys armchair travelers in the DeWitt Operahouse Theatre a first-class ticket to the club’s Winter Travelogue Series, where this season they can explore the Arctic Circle, the…more...SightFirst Gives New Life to People in Burkina FasoSightFirst Gives New Life to People in Burkina Faso LCIF’s SightFirst program has been restoring and protecting sight for almost 30 years and is now present in 102 countries. This extraordinary program develops comprehensive eye care systems providing aid to underserved populations by developing comprehensive eye care systems. Projects include…more...Lions Celebrate 20 Years of SightFirst in MadagascarCataracts are the number one cause of blindness. Moved to change the reality for those affected, more than 20 years ago, Lions in Madagascar started a SightFirst project to address the issue. Since then, the Lions have gone on to do so much more. “When we see the smiles of…more...Looking Good and Doing GoodOn stage and off, Khodr Farhat makes it all look easy. Reading Braille, navigating with a white cane, challenging ableist assumptions: People who are blind or visually impaired face these and many other obstacles. Add to those “learning English,” “affording college,” and “losing nearly 150 pounds,” and you’ll get a…more...Kindness Mattered To The Man In The Bow TieA tribute to International First Vice President Judge Haynes Townsend In the fall of 2019, the video team at Lions Clubs International headquarters sat down with First Vice President Judge Haynes Townsend to begin capturing footage for his presidential videos. We interviewed the Judge, his family, and those who knew…more...Back to the RootsEight years after a catastrophic Category 5 tornado levelled Irving Elementary in Joplin, Missouri, the school is rebuilt and looking better than ever, thanks to Lions, Leos, and LCIF working together. The Missouri Lions of District M6 and the Carl Junction Leos Club joined forces and went “Back to the…more...Steam Team Revives Lost LocoIt took the advanced engineering skills of dozens of volunteers and more than 30 years of meticulous work, but the restoration of an old steam locomotive train is now complete, thanks in big part to Lions in Renwick, New Zealand. Restoration began with a collection of steam train enthusiasts, retired…more...Taking Care of the EarthAs the world honors the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the environmentally conscious Lions of Bowie, Maryland, have their own big numbers to celebrate. The Lions will hit the 500 mark on rain barrel sales this spring, having sold the recycled plastic 55-gallon barrels since starting the project in 2010.…more...The Doctors Are InOn January 26, 20 doctors, all members of Lions Club Doctors Unité in Casablanca, set out for Douar Ait Tamjat-Tagleft, a small village near Taroudant, a coastal city in the south of Morocco. Their mission, done in partnership with Moubadarat Al Khayr association of Béni Mellal, was to provide medical…more...Lions See a Need in VirginiaIn Williamsburg, Virginia, patients in need of eye care were often just that: in need. Without an eye clinic in town, they were referred to local practices, and because many of the people do not have their own transportation, the no-show rate for referrals was high. Patients had to wait…more...Horse PowerFor Lion Diane Besson, saving an old horse was just the beginning It was 2018 and Diane Besson was off to Muskego, Wisconsin, to pick up her eggs from the local CSA (community-sponsored agriculture) she’d joined. As she pulled up to the farm, she noticed a couple of tiny horses…more...Better TogetherWhen the world’s largest service organization comes together with one of the United States’ largest health benefits companies, good things are bound to happen.more...Cycles Help Disabled Feel Freedom on WheelsCycles Help Disabled Feel Freedom on Wheels Nearly 40 million Americans live with a disability. If Joe Tarver had his way, all 40 million would be on bicycles. “People need exercise, and there’s no exception,” says Tarver, a member of the Lubbock (Texas) Lions Club. That’s why, for three decades…more...No More Naked BabiesWhen the members of the Lions Club of Tokai, in Cape Town, South Africa, learned that new mothers in poor areas were often discharged from the hospital with their newborns wrapped in just a paper towel, they knew they had to act.more...Playing With MusicAt Montezuma Elementary School in rural Iowa every kid gets to be a cool percussionist and there are no wrong notes. Thanks to the Montezuma Lions Club there are nine musical percussion instruments on the school’s playground. Included with the xylophones is a color-coded music book with notes for songs…more...Let's Celebrate Our Incredible LCI Forward SuccessAs we entered our second century of service, we had a vision: to increase our humanitarian impact, innovate our service, and position our organization, our global foundation and our clubs for long-term success. We needed a roadmap to successfully guide us into the future and help us reach these goals.…more...This Old HouseWhen this young couple’s dream home wasn’t safe for their son, Lions stepped in – and brought their tool belts. Jay and Veronika McHugh had hundreds of people living around them but knew none of them. Their busy city life in Ottawa, Ontario, left them longing for a tighter knit…more...Diabetes: Lions Take on a Global Epidemic Diabetes: Lions Take on a Global Epidemic It’s an easy, 12-minute drive from Len Dompke’s suburban Chicago home to the local hospital. Yet, the first time Dompke made the drive, it was one of the hardest of his life. Making this drive meant recognizing and changing some unhealthy habits,…more...Disconnect: The Tech Addiction ChallengeLions in Italy have decided to see for themselves exactly how addicted to technology their kids are. The Lions of District 108 TB designed an experiment with more than 500 young people from the Modena, Italy, region, challenging them to go three days without using their mobile phones. It was…more...Friendship is BlindA young boy had just finished watching a movie about Helen Keller with his parents when his mother asked him if he knew anyone who is blind. He said, “No.” “But you go to school with blind children,” she reminded him. “No I don’t,” he said. “We are all the…more...A High NoteSometimes Saving One Life Can Help Change Your Own His father calls him “cheeky and cheerful.” Jayden, 3, also is—in the best sense possible—a mimic of sorts. Often confined to a hospital bed while he battles cancer, he’s accustomed to being helped. But he’s learned to do unto others as…more...Nothing Fishy About this IdeaThe Lions in Mt. Washington, Kentucky, host more than 30 fundraising fish fries a year, selling more than 15,000 pieces of fresh fish. For the people in their area south of Louisville that means there are multiple opportunities to get a good dinner while supporting a great cause. But for…more...From Boats to BlackboardsShipping containers get second life as mobile classrooms for displaced people When the Syrian civil war came to a climax toward the end of 2014, a surge of people began to flee the intense bombings in the region. Lions were ready. For more than three years Lions in Turkey have…more...T’was the Morning Before Christmas...There’s a right way to do things in Nova Scotia, Canada, on Christmas Eve day. Before the house is cleaned for company, before the last shopping is complete, the baking’s begun, or the presents are quickly wrapped, you have breakfast. And you can thank the Kingston Lions for that. While…more...Cleanup CrewThe Camas Lions Club in Washougal, Washington, is building community partnerships with the goal of taking on unfulfilled needs in Camas and Washougal. They’re starting by serving those who serve at the beloved Inter-Faith Treasure House. On Saturday, August 17, Lions came together to address several yard work issues at…more...Singapore: Lions Converge on the Lion CityJune 26 to 30, 2020 Singapore is a place unlike any other. An independent city-state in Southeast Asia that is home to nearly 6 million people, this tiny nation is a vibrant blend of Asian and European cultures that make it the ultimate melting pot. It’s this diversity that makes…more...Mission InclusionThe organizers of the OSEAL Leo Forum 2020 teamed up with Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) and Special Olympics Cambodia to organize an afternoon of Special Olympics Unified Sports, which places individuals with intellectual disabilities on teams with those without disabilities. Part of the purpose of the forum was to…more...In Tune With the CommunityAcross the city, in streets, parks, and plazas, on rooftops and in gardens, music flowed through Federal Way, Washington, on the summer solstice this year. The Federal Way Lions were leading their city’s Make Music Day, a one-day global celebration of the international language of music. It’s particularly fitting in…more...Feeding a Lot of Hungry PeopleThe project was initiated by PID Vic Cheng Yong in partnership with the Filipino Chinese Lions Foundation and ATM Chain Foundation of China with the Quezon City Katarungan Central Lions Club and cost approximately US$76,000. It is the biggest project so far held by the Philippine Lions. The ATM Chain…more...Women Lions Walk the WalkWomen Lions Walk the Walk The New Voices Initiative celebrates the extraordinary achievements of and contributions by women in Lions Clubs International. The following four women have been chosen by IP Yngvadottir for their significant accomplishments in the areas of service, growth, leadership, and marketing. As you celebrate these four…more...The Bird ArtistIn early spring, sometimes as early as the first cold mornings of March, Jeff Klinefelter will rouse before daybreak and drive out to his pond to get in place before the migrating ducks or other birds light on the water or the woodland edge.more...Lions Solve a Food Scarcity ProblemWhen the only grocery store for miles closed in the small town of Tionesta, Pa., residents found themselves in a food desert. It seems hard to believe on the banks of the Allegheny River, along the lush Allegheny National Forest, but getting healthy food meant driving to towns 30 to…more...Knights of Prevention & EducationWakeup call After receiving bad news about eight years ago, Lion Scott Michels was struck by a moment of clarity that changed his life. Michels, who’d been counseling troubled youth in his community of Wilmington, Delaware, had just learned that one of those young people had been arrested again. “I…more...Smooth Sailing ServiceEvery spring Sea Cowboys, Awkward Turtles, Energy Pirates, Slovenian Sharks, and Hungarian Sea Lions line the coast of Croatia off the Adriatic Sea. These are just some of the creative names Lions have given their boats for the annual regatta organized by the District 126 Croatia Lions to raise money…more...International Women’s DayHow Lions Celebrate As part of the call to promote gender parity and increase the number of women in leadership positions, Lions Clubs International launched the New Voices Initiative, which is celebrating the contributions of outstanding women in its ranks. On March 8, 2019, Lions will be joining the global…more...Beyond the CaneAccessible computers open up a whole new world for the blind Barry Carver will be the first to say he was just wasting time. He spent his days listening to audio books, had nowhere to go, and no hope for his future. But then the box from Computers for the…more...Aw ShucksIn Iowa, the U.S. corn capital where farmers grow more than 2.5 billion bushels of corn each summer, the Clear Lake Evening Lions have found it best to stick to what folks in the heartland know and love. Popcorn and sweet corn are the tickets to their growing club’s financial…more...