During my time as Lions Clubs International president, I had the distinct honor of working closely with former President Jimmy Carter. A Lion for over 60 years, he was an incredible servant leader whose dedication to helping others never ceased. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States with the same unwavering humbleness and compassion he had as district governor for 18 C District in Georgia.In 1998, Carter and I visited Mali in sub-Saharan Africa, and it was the first time I witnessed the effects of trachoma. It was heartbreaking to see children experiencing completely preventable blindness, and I knew something had to be done. The following year, I worked with Carter to establish a partnership between Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and The Carter Center to combat river blindness and trachoma in 13 countries in Africa and Latin America.Photo by JD ScottWith Carter’s incredible influence, Pfizer committed to supplying the needed doses of Zithromax to help eradicate preventable and treatable blindness. This pivotal agreement offered vision-saving treatment to hundreds of millions of people. By restoring sight one person at a time, the partnership between LCIF and The Carter Center empowered Mali to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. The World Health Organization’s validation of Mali’s status in 2023 was a victory for sight and a reminder of the incredible strides long-term partnerships can make in humanitarian relief. And this is just one of the many victories we’ve been able to achieve through this partnership.Carter opened many doors for Lions, and we cannot begin to express our appreciation for him. We are grateful for his enduring humanitarian spirit and steadfast commitment to global service. His life spanned a century, but his legacy of building alliances, championing human dignity and serving with compassion will influence Lions for generations to come.