February 1, 2019Getting Personal for a Good CauseThe members of the Lions Club of Dar es Salaam Tanzanites have decided it’s time to come out with their story. In the small Tanzanian city, where everyone knows everyone, there is still a social stigma about health conditions like diabetes. But the Dar es Salaam Lions know that being aware of the early signs […] Continue Reading
February 1, 2019Children Express Love, Peace, and Harmony through ArtEvery year the love for the Menlo Park Lions’ Valentine’s Day activity grows. This year, for the fifth February in a row, the Lions in New Jersey are hosting their Love, Peace and Harmony art contest, giving young artists the chance to show their skills and express their support for love and peace. More than […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2019Among the GiantsTaller than Cinderella’s castle, wider than a city street, the Sequoias of California are among the largest trees in the world and more than 3,000 years old. Every year about 200,000 people stroll in their shadows at the Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California, and roughly 8,000 children visit with school groups to learn […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2019Free FruitThe Ngongotaha Lions Club in New Zealand has given a barren roadside a whole new purpose. In 2016 the club donated more than 400 fruit and native trees to the Rotorua Ngongotaha Rail Park. Lion Ross Thompson, organizer of the event, said funding from the city council enabled them to add fruit trees to the […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2019Showing up Big for RhinosThe Mafikeng Lions care about rhinos. And they want the world to care, too. While they celebrate World Rhino Day every year, this year they tried something special. They partnered with the International School of South Africa and recruited 780 staff, students, and Lions and Leos of the Mafikeng club to come together on the […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2019Hides Make Happy CampersWhen deer hunting season begins each fall the Wisconsin Lions send out their message: We want your hide. The sale of deer hides is helping Lions send kids to summer camp. Through the bulk sale of hides donated by Wisconsin archery and gun sportsmen, Lions have raised more than US$1 million to support the 440-acre […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2019In the Wake of Flash Flood, New Club is BornBattered by heavy rainfall, residents of the small town of Nawapur, in the Nandurbar District of Maharashtra, woke up to flash floods on August 16, 2018. The Rangavalli river overflowed and the local dam was breached, flooding 10 villages in the district. About 14 lives were lost and 462 homes damaged. Many had to flee […] Continue Reading
May 1, 2019All Aboard the LøvebussenAbout 30 years ago, Lions Club Sørfold in northern Norway built a “play-bus” for the local kindergarten. As the weather in the region can be harsh, the bus began to look worn. The Sorfold Lions decided it was time to build a new bus for the children. Ten members of the 19-member club spent more […] Continue Reading
May 1, 2019Bookstall Makes BankFor the 17th year, the St. Wendel Lions Club set up shop at the St. Wendel Easter market. Similar to previous years, they had approximately 7,000 books to sell. These ranged from nonfiction, to cookbooks, to literature for children, to travel books, and included specialist publications on themes like medicine, esoterism, philosophy, and global and […] Continue Reading
May 1, 2019LION Day Helps Beet DiabetesIn Dover, New York, the elementary school children have taste-tested everything from healthy mangoes to golden beets during their lunch time. At home their parents are being educated about combatting diabetes. It all started when The Town of Dover Lions Katie Pallmer-House and Patti Zangle were inspired by the Lion mantra “Think Global, Act Local” […] Continue Reading
May 1, 2019Paying Off Lunch Debt Pays Off Big for KidsFor some students their school lunch is the only meal they will get all day. In Minnesota’s Minnetonka School District the Excelsior Lions are looking out for those children, seeing to it that everyone gets the food they need, and no child has to feel singled out for being different. The Lions donated money to […] Continue Reading
June 1, 2019Putting SIDS to SleepWhat impressed the Redwood Falls Lions Club most about Becky Bruns was her willingness to give back to the community through education on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome [SIDS] after the tragic loss of her son. What impressed Becky about Minnesota’s Redwood Lions was “their willingness to help in every way possible, without question and with […] Continue Reading
June 1, 2019Feeding 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 Foundation of China donated funds […] Continue Reading
July 1, 2019Smooth 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 for prevention and rehabilitation programs […] Continue Reading
July 1, 2019From 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 partnered with Lions in Sweden […] Continue Reading
July 1, 2019Nothing 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 members of the Mt. Washington, […] Continue Reading
July 1, 2019Paradise Is Not LostCalifornia’s catastrophic Camp Fire in November burned more than 150,000 acres, killing 86 people and destroying close to 20,000 structures. Thousands of people fled for their lives. It was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history. But one thing remains unable to be destroyed by flames. That’s hope, hope that altered lives […] Continue Reading
July 1, 2019Lions Helping Lions“How can clubs like the Paradise Host Lions keep going when it’s taking 100 percent of their energy to help the community?” asks Jackson [California] Lions Club President Mike Bohl. Well, the Lions will help them. In June, about seven months after the devastating fire in northern California, members of the Jackson Lions drove 135 […] Continue Reading
September 1, 2019Back 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 Roots” for Earth Day, working […] Continue Reading
September 1, 2019Playing 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 like “Old MacDonald Had a […] Continue Reading
October 1, 2019Lions 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 several weeks to a few […] Continue Reading
October 1, 2019Steam 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 engineers, and Lions. They called […] Continue Reading
October 1, 2019Aw 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 success. Popcorn sales come via […] Continue Reading
October 1, 2019Disconnect: 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 not the goal to demonize […] Continue Reading
December 1, 2019T’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 their community sleeps, the Lions […] Continue Reading
December 1, 2019In 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 Federal Way where the public […] Continue Reading
January 1, 2020A Heartfelt Gift to Families in NeedIn the summer of 2019, the doors to Heartfelt House opened in Springfield, Oregon, offering affordable lodging to out-of-town families of patients at the newly constructed PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. Among the more than 600 donors who contributed from US$10 to US$1 million are Lions. More than 20 Lions clubs in Oregon, […] Continue Reading
January 1, 2020Super KidsLions in Germany believe life should have as many magical moments as possible. Those moments can help keep courage up and hope alive in difficult times. And that’s exactly what the Braunschweig Lions Club wanted to do for a total of nine children at the Braunschweig Pediatric Cancer ward (K5). They launched the project “Our […] Continue Reading
January 1, 2020Connecting the DotsIn Tennessee, a Norris Lions service project to make the walk to school a little nicer for elementary students turned into a joint project with the children and a celebration of art. It all began with the Norris Lions’ project to spruce up a tunnel in the town that connects the elementary school to the […] Continue Reading
January 1, 2020Play Together, Stay TogetherJuurikkalahden Kiri (JUKI), the largest youth soccer club in Sotkamo, Finland, has joined with the Sotkamo Lions Club to organize a free weekly sports activity available to everyone – locals and tourists alike – to help families stay connected and increase physical fitness. With so much competing for our attention these days, it can be […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2020Leos Feed into Helping Those Living with HIV/AIDSThe Coppell High School Leo Club in Texas reached out to seven non-profit organizations in their quest to find a community project. What they chose proved that a little kindness and conversation over a warm, home-cooked meal can go a long way. On five occasions the Coppell Leos AIDS Supper Club in partnership with AIDS […] Continue Reading
March 1, 2020Around 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 Aegean Sea and ancient Athens, […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020Giving the Non-Verbal a VoiceJust because a person is non-verbal doesn’t mean he or she is without the need to communicate. Like everyone else, maybe more than everyone else, the non-verbal need to voice their wants, needs, and emotions. But how? At an Ohio respite home for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, staff recognized the need to solve […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020After Flooding, the Revival of an EcosystemIn the aftermath, the city of Fargo purchased the land (and homes) in the floodplain. The homes were razed and the area was banned from development. Jane Pettinger, a Lion who lives in Fargo, not far from the River, says the area was in limbo. The homes had been torn down, but the landscaping and […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020Taking 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. And on April 18, they […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020The 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 care for the residents of […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020Mission 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 raise awareness of Special Olympics […] Continue Reading
April 1, 2020Lions 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 45 minutes away on hilly […] Continue Reading
July 23, 2020No 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. Continue Reading
August 25, 2020Beds for Little HeadsThe Tinley Park Lions in Illinois took a vote on how to celebrate their club’s 70th anniversary. Would it be a dinner or a dance? They chose neither. They wanted to do what their small but mighty club does best. They wanted to serve. “Instead of getting dressed up, we had sawdust in our faces,” […] Continue Reading
August 25, 2020Grief Kits Help Community Hit with ViolenceOver the course of 12 hours on April 18 and 19, 2020, a gunman went on a rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, killing 22 people. The quiet, rural community was devastated by the incident, and Nova Scotia Lions clubs quickly stepped up. The Parrsboro Lions Club, which is the club closest to […] Continue Reading
August 27, 2020Don’t Stop Believin’The Edison Metro Lions in New Jersey first thought they could help others through COVID-19 by making non-medical facemasks for their community. But that didn’t materialize, says PDG Eddie Hui, founder and director of the Edison Metro Lions Club and music group. Sewing is not their expertise. Music is. The club’s motto is “We Serve […] Continue Reading
August 27, 2020Lions Mobilize to Shield Healthcare WorkersWhen the country went into lockdown due to COVID-19, DG Waldoylson da Silva Miranda’s manufacturing facility, which he owns with his wife, Tatianna Afio, came to a grinding halt. As Miranda hunkered down with the rest of the country to wait out the virus, he watched a steady stream of news coverage reporting a lack […] Continue Reading
by Joan Cary September 4, 2020Read My SmileDennis Dulniak says his Florida Lions club took a Florida COVID-19 lemon and made lemonade. It’s turned out to be pretty sweet. Over five weeks the Lions of District 35-O made and distributed more than 600 clear face masks free to family, friends, and associates of deaf and hearing impaired in central Florida. But it’s […] Continue Reading
by Hal Conick September 17, 2020‘Love at first sight’When PDG Ana Maria Silva walked through the Acosta Ñú Pediatric General Hospital’s cancer ward and saw children receiving chemotherapy, she felt a lump in her throat. Silva and her fellow Lions had brought the children toys to celebrate Los Reyes Magos, a South American holiday, playing a role similar to Santa Claus. The space was very small and there was little separation between the children. “Even with the toys, the children looked heartbroken,” Silva says. Continue Reading
by Joan Cary October 3, 2020Cans for Kids with CancerThe Marquette Lions envisioned a simple three-hour event to collect and recycle empty, refundable aluminum cans. But they ended up moving a mountain — a mountain of 81,501 empty beverage cans worth 10 cents apiece, and it earned them more than US$8,100 for children battling cancer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Club Vice President Mary Rule […] Continue Reading
by Joan Cary October 5, 2020Revving Up for A RaffleOn October 11, the Morris Lions in Illinois will pull a ticket and give some lucky winner the keys to a red 1971 Camaro with a split bumper. They will have sold more than 15,000 raffle tickets for this, their 24th classic car raffle, in 34 years of hosting the Morris Lions Fall Classic Car […] Continue Reading
by Joan Cary October 8, 2020Tornado Puts Small Town in TailspinWhen an EF3 tornado tore through Seneca, S.C., last spring, destroying more than 200 homes and damaging another 1,700, it passed within one quarter mile of the Golden Corner Food Pantry, the largest food pantry in Oconee County. They serve an average of 1,000 households a month, including hundreds of seniors. The City of Seneca […] Continue Reading
November 23, 2020Parading AroundFor more than a century the people of Pickerington, Ohio, have celebrated Labor Day in a big way. And for 72 of those years, the Pickerington Lions Club has run the show. Past years have featured horse shows, flower shows, boxing matches, and horse races, but two things have always been constant: a parade and […] Continue Reading
December 20, 2020Christmas is for the BirdsFor generations the Swedes have fostered the holiday spirit by saving the last cuttings of the harvest to make a Julkarve, or Yule Sheaf. It’s a bundle of oats that’s hung on a lamp post, fence, or barn to feed the birds on Christmas morning. As legend goes, if many birds come to eat, a […] Continue Reading