Summer 2024Past Issues Make Your MarkDear Lion, Growing up in Brazil as part of an entrepreneurial family, I learned how important it was to have a vision and a plan to achieve it. I also learned the power of community. Community has always been the bedrock of my journey, and the deep sense of belonging and the desire to strengthen it ignited my passion for service. That’s the spark that led me to Lions. I saw something special in this…more...Make Your MarkAsk Fabrício Oliveira about his native Brazil, and he’ll tell you it’s the lungs of the world. An evergreen canopy rimmed in turquoise shoreline. He’s from a small municipality there, the son of fabric merchants with entrepreneurial vigor in their blood. By age 18, Fabrício was already part of the family business. He would focus on his studies during the week and travel dutifully for work over the weekends. For such a young man, Fabrício…more...Answering the CallWhen a crash left two people seriously injured on a roadway in Dharan, Eastern Nepal, in early 2024, it was not emergency medical professionals or firefighters who jumped into action to save lives — but a group of Lion doctors that happened to be passing through at the right time. A couple of tourists visiting from India were sightseeing via motorcycle when they skidded off the roadway. A group of Lions came upon the harrowing scene. “Two individuals lay…more...Dancing in The DarkFor the students in the Haddonfield Lions’ ballroom dance classes, the first lesson is important: Leave your troubles at the door and take your smile to the dance floor. “Dancing is a time to relax and have fun,” said dance student Nimit Kaur. “There’s no time to think about your day or anything else. You’re too busy thinking about your steps.” Kaur, 27, has been blind since birth, but that hasn’t stopped her from learning…more...Finding BalanceNumerous research studies have tried to prove what every person who has ever volunteered knows to be true — doing good feels good. So, what does that hit of dopamine do for a person’s overall health and well-being? In a study published in The Gerontologist, older volunteers were less likely to have high blood pressure than their non-volunteer counterparts. Another study targeting a younger audience featured in JAMA Pediatrics had similar findings. High school students…more...Two Generations One MissionIn 1954, Dr. Jack Weber, a first-year Lion, attended the Lions International Convention in New York City where a crowd gathered around an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair. The man was Melvin Jones. Weber waited his turn, then bent down to shake hands with the founder of Lions Clubs International. Upon learning Weber was new to the association, Jones offered him the advice that has inspired Lions for more than 100 years: “You can’t get…more...Healthy Foods for Stronger ChildrenIn Lima, Peru, the Nuevo Milenio Lions stepped in to help when they learned that children in their community were silently suffering from the effects of extreme poverty and malnutrition. A pre-school teacher in the town of Cielito Azul-Payet, where families have limited access to education and healthcare, informed the Lions about the prevalence of anemia in her young students, and asked if they might help getting nutritious food for them. Lions learned that about…more...New Hope, New SchoolLike most of the world, the members of the Bursa Koza Lions Club were shocked by the magnitude of the earthquake that hit southern Türkiye and northern Syria on the morning of February 6, 2023. The quake was the deadliest to hit present-day Türkiye, killing over 50,000 people and leaving an estimated 1.5 million homeless. The club witnessed essential aid like water, food and hygiene supplies coming into the area, and volunteers assisting with distribution.…more...A Path to Restoration: LCIF’s Response to Japan’s Noto EarthquakeOn January 1, 2024, a massive earthquake ripped through the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. This earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.5 and a focal depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), resulting in a massive trail of destruction that included 245 confirmed deaths and 1,298 injuries. At least 89,666 structures were damaged, including over 76,000 houses, leaving families stranded without a roof over their heads. People were forced to live in evacuation shelters…more...Lions Quest: Empowering Youth Across the GlobeOver the course of four decades, Lions Quest has made a profound impact on youth, experienced exponential growth and formed meaningful partnerships to help young people reach their full potential. Lions Quest is Lions Clubs International Foundation’s (LCIF) comprehensive and universal, evidence-based social and emotional learning program. This year marks the 40th anniversary of LCIF’s first grant to what used to be the independent organization, Quest International. Over the years, the two organizations grew closer,…more...