I didn’t step into service one day — I was born into it. Some of my earliest memories are of standing beside my parents outside supermarkets, collecting food for families in need. My small hands held donation cans while their big hearts showed me what kindness looked like in action. I learned early that service isn’t a hobby or an obligation — it’s a way of life.My parents, Rafael Torres Cabrera and Lydia Juárez Castro, have always been my greatest teachers. My father now serves as district governor for our region of Veracruz, Mexico, and my mother is actively involved with Lions. My three brothers are also members — making service not just a value in our family, but a way we stay connected. Our parents taught us that service multiplies when it’s shared.In 2013, I officially joined the Lions family when I founded the Leo Club Veracruz A.C., now known as Leo Club Veracruz We Serve — a small group of young people determined to create change. We built partnerships, organized service projects and discovered our ability to lead. Seeing our enthusiasm grow into real impact showed me that when youth serve, the whole community wins. My husband was among the members who joined me in those early years. Our shared passion for service became the foundation of our life together.In 2024, five years after becoming a Lion, I faced one of the most defining moments of my journey when a devastating forest fire struck our local mountains. My club, the Veracruz Nosotros Servimos Lions Club, mobilized to deliver food and medicine for families and animals, plant new saplings for reforestation and led environmental awareness training. The way our community came together in the face of loss was truly incredible. Our efforts were honored with an international Kindness Matters Service Award — a reminder that kindness means taking action when it’s needed most.Service has shaped every chapter of my life. And now, with our little cub — our daughter Celic — joining us on service days, we are passing the legacy on to her just as my parents passed it on to me. She’s growing up surrounded by compassion and purpose, learning that kindness is strength and that service is joy.