Planting Trees, Planting Hope

Hello, Lions!

When I was a child I planted trees with my family at our summer cottage, and later my children did the same. My son wasn’t always happy about it, being out there, digging holes. He saw a whole lot of small trees that didn’t mean much to him. But now he’s all grown up and so are the trees. More than 4,000 trees brim with life, rustle in the wind, and give us shelter on our walks. He understands now, the promise of planting trees. He understands that planting something—anything, but especially trees, which take so long to mature—is an act of hope.

As Lions, we are ever hopeful. And I see that every day in the work that you do. Clubs across the world are planting trees as a symbol of that hope and as a concrete way to fight the effects of climate change. We do so many meaningful things as Lions, but none of them matter if we lose the one place we all call home.

I challenge you to look at your community and seek out ways to help fight for our planet. Partner with your local government to find a spot in need of reforestation. Get a group together to pick up trash at the beach or along a favorite hiking trail. Take some school children to a forest preserve and teach them about nature.

As adults, we tend to care about the things we loved as children. I loved the trees I planted with my parents, I passed that on to my children, and they are passing it on to theirs. Let’s teach the new generation the beauty of our natural environment so they will grow up to be protectors of the world we all depend on.

Yours,

Gudrun Yngvadottir

International President, Lions Clubs International