LatestA Heart For ServiceWe serve with love and compassion in communities around the world. The selfless giving of our time and effort is precisely what makes Lions so special. When we give, we expect nothing in return. Yet we gain so much. Our service offers hope and connection in the face of great…more...Twenty Years LaterOn Sept. 11, 2001, Shirley Brooks-Jones was on Delta Flight 15, headed from Frankfurt to Atlanta, from where she'd fly to her home in Ohio. She had no idea what was happening in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania or the real reason their plane was being diverted to Newfoundland. "We've…more...LCIF: A Foundation of Lions, a Foundation of ServiceLCIF Magnifies Service During Disaster What’s more powerful than a pandemic intensified by wildfires, hurricanes, typhoons, and earthquakes? Lions. Magnifying their service through LCIF. To support communities through the COVID-19 pandemic, LCIF awarded Lions across the world more than US$5.3 million, which they used to protect frontline medical workers, provide…more...Kindness MattersKindness comes naturally to Lions The Kindness Matters Service Award (KMSA) is given annually to a handful of Lions and Leo clubs for performing an outstanding service project in one of the global cause areas. Intended to recognize and encourage innovative and creative service projects that leave positive impacts on…more...Pioneering Geneticist Named Honorary LionAs part of their annual Tribute Day, Arthur Riggs, Ph.D was invited by the Lions Club of Montebello to be an honorary member for his extraordinary contribution and incredible advancements in the fight against diabetes. In 1978 Riggs co-led the team that laid the groundwork for the development of the…more...LDUN Prompts Lion Sing-AlongLions Day with the United Nations (LDUN) has been an important Lion tradition for 43 years, taking the opportunity to showcase Lions’ commitment to peace and service that transcends politics and borders. This year was no different, even if it was just a little different. More than 5,600 Lions and…more...Chocolate Tater Tots and Blue FeetLosing her sight has not stopped Heather Bitzan from making her fabulous soups for her three sons. She can read recipes and food labels thanks to an ingenious device called the OrCam, a small camera attached to her eyeglasses that translates information into spoken words. Since losing her eyesight, Bitzan…more...LCIF Helps Save Lives in IP Alexander’s Beloved Home CommunityDesperate need. That’s one way to describe the situation in Brooklyn, New York’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, which happens to be home to International President Douglas Alexander. LCIF awarded Brooklyn Bedford Stuyvesant Lions Club a US$17,500 grant to purchase a new ambulance to serve their community. Historically a disadvantaged neighborhood, Bed-Stuy, as…more...Feel Good MomentsIn early May, in the midst of all the interviews, pictures, and meetings that precede the announcement of a new President, VP Doug Alexander walked out of the Dollar Tree, heading across the street to complete his errands, when he found a wallet on the ground. Inside was a woman’s…more...Scholarships Help Students Stay in SchoolLion Ashok Kumar Mago knows how lonely it can be to leave one’s homeland and travel thousands of miles to a new country to pursue higher education. The charter member of the Dallas Indian Lions Club immigrated from India to the United States in 1974, when he also learned the…more...Managing MangrovesThe Paramaribo Central Lions Club is one of the 2021 Kindness Matters Service Award winners. Read more stories and check out a list of all the winners here. Special, water-resistant wood donated by Lions to build the scaffolding that supports young Mangroves is unloaded at a restoration site. Perched atop…more...Cooking Up KindnessThe Fraser Valley Lions Club is one of the 2021 Kindness Matters Service Award winners. Read more stories and check out a list of all the winners here. If you’re looking for majestic mountains, grand rivers, and lush valleys, Grand County, Colorado will not disappoint. Home of the Fraser Valley Lions…more...Canned Goods Make Great SculpturesThe New Jersey Visionary Cyber Leo Club had a vision to bring together like-minded local organizations to achieve the goal of providing nutritious food for all members of their community – all while encouraging young people in the visual arts.more...Flags and FlowersNearly six years ago 10-year-old Preston Sharp visited his Navy grandfather’s grave on Veteran’s Day. He was disappointed to see no one was honoring the vets on their special day. He decided to change that.more...Stepping Up During ShutdownAt-risk youth entered dangerous, uncharted territory when the world went into lockdown in the spring of 2020. Luckily, the Orilla Lions in Ontario, Canada, had their backs.more...Official NoticeThe following proposed amendments to the International Constitution and By-Laws will be reported to the delegates for vote at the 2021 International Convention. Read amendments here. more...Candidates for 3rd Vice PresidentSvein Ǿystein Berntsen Svein Ǿystein Berntsen of Hetlevik, Norway, served as an International Director from 2014 to 2016. He is the owner and chairman of the board at a software group and is a member of the Askøy Lions Club. He has served as a board appointee, chairperson of the…more...Convention CallIn compliance with Article VI, Section 2 of the International By-Laws, I hereby issue the Official Call for the 2021 International Convention. Our 103rd International Convention will be held virtually. It begins on June 24 and ends June 29. The purpose of the convention is to elect a president, first…more...2019-2020 LCIF Annual ReportAt the outset of my term as chairperson of Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), I imagined the day I would write this message, reflecting on global progress made possible by LCIF during the year. What I never imagined is how incredibly full my heart would be today. In a year…more...FoundAfter years of experience working in search and rescue, Renfrew Lion Bob Boyer in Canada knew first-hand the fear that sets in for families when a loved one goes missing. So, when a caller suggested his club support the nonprofit International Project Lifesaver (IPL), Boyer says, “It lit a fire…more...Sprucing Up Their Part of the PlanetBefore the Wisconsin Lions took to the roads, a drive through the green countryside could be interrupted by the sight of spring wildflowers blooming among somebody’s garbage. More than cups and cans tossed carelessly from car windows, were discarded refrigerators and other junk. Independence Lions get help from the local…more...Kitchen Gardens Feed the Belly and the SoulResidents of the St. Lucy Home for the Elderly on the West Indian island of Saint Lucia have been enjoying a bounty of freshly grown vegetables that are adding flavor and valuable nutrients to their diets. Thanks, in part, to the efforts of the 50-member strong Castries Lions Club, an…more...O Canada! We Stand on Guard for TheeWith support from Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), brave and compassionate Lions across the world have banded together to help communities safely navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Southern Ontario, Canada Lions are no exception. True to the lyrics of their country’s national anthem, District A-3 Lions have stood “on guard for…more...Going Gaga for GagaBatting a ball around a Gaga pit, students at Lillian Berg Public School in Vermilion Bay, Ontario, run, jump and twist to evade a ball being launched at them by other players. Vermillion Bay Lions were hands on in building a gaga pit for local kids. The game, called Gaga…more...Calling All Senior CitizensWhen the small community of Barkhamsted, Connecticut, got their first stock of vaccinations for their residents age 75 and over, Town Selectman (mayor) Don Stein knew seniors would need help navigating the online portal required to register for their shots. And he knew just who to turn to. Barkhamsted Lions…more...Picture ThisThe Knowlton Lions were puzzled. After years of promoting community spirit with annual events like a Santa Claus parade and garage sales, the pandemic was forcing them to rethink ways to keep spirits up in their scenic community of Knowlton in southern Quebec, Canada. Knowlton Lions Sue Perkins, Meredith MacKeen,…more...Small Desks Make a Big DifferenceWhen the Agawam Lions in Massachusetts authorized funds to build 20 desks for students schooling from home, cautious members wondered if they’d be lucky to give that many away. Dick Lanier’s workshop was full of desks for children, all made by Lions, in Agawam, Mass. But even an experienced Lion…more...Uncovering a Bright, New World for the People in LiberiaReceiving eye care in Liberia can be difficult. There are only six ophthalmologists in the entire country, all working in the capital of Monrovia. Only two of the ophthalmologists regularly perform cataract surgery. As cataracts are the main cause of blindness (60 percent) and severe visual impairment (62 percent) in…more...Sharing the BountyThere’s no reason why a juicy orange, a tangy lemon, or a tasty tangerine should be left on a tree when it could help feed people in need. That’s the reasoning behind a citrus gleaning project spearheaded by the Phoenix Asian American Lions Club in District 21N in Phoenix, Arizona.…more...Power, Peace, and PurposeAs an 11-year-old boy fighting cancer in 1999, Michael Hunt learned many lessons. One has been unforgettable: “Breathe in the light. Blow out the darkness.” Twenty years later, he is a black belt in Tai Kwon Do who works to help kids learn the power they have inside.more...Lions Quest Helps Children Cope with PandemicCOVID-19. Mention the virus, and thoughts of fighting off physical illness come to mind. Yet there is another side of the global pandemic that’s taking a different troubling toll — a toll on young people’s mental well-being. Childhood can be challenging under the best of circumstances, and today, quarantines, thoughts…more...Leaving It All BehindLiz McMillan was at a community event in Ashburton District, New Zealand, about an hour’s drive from Christchurch, when she heard the news. A white supremacist had attacked Muslim worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand’s second largest city of Christchurch on the South Island, killing 51 people and injuring…more...Feed MeAh, the pancake breakfast. A great Lion tradition filled with all the things Lions love: filling bellies, seeing friendly faces, and raising money for a good cause. Pancakes have been around since at least 600 B.C. And pancakes breakfasts – complete with towering stacks of the fluffy cakes and the…more...From the AshesIt was after her husband died in 2015 that Karen Crook became a Lion, at least that is the official story. But it really goes back to her parents – and Paradise. That is the name of the Northern California town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain…more...Be Our GuestsWhen a powerful earthquake hit the Aegean Sea on the western coast of Turkey this fall, Lions and Leos were the first non-governmental organization at any of the rescue sites. “Where can I go?” “How can I find the authorities?” “Where will I live?” “Who will feed my children?” Although…more...Joy RidesSometimes a person just needs to get out of the house. And sometimes that person just needs a little extra help getting out.more...Potato PirouetteWhen COVID-19 hit Lions in France, they didn’t stop dancing, they just changed their moves.more...San Pedro Club Foregoes Dinner and Dancing for ServiceIt was an anniversary that was supposed to be marked by dinner and dancing. But with COVID-19 restrictions in place, the 22 members of the San Pedro Lions Club in Belize had to come up with a new way to celebrate.more...A Redbud RevivalWhen spring arrives in Emporia, Kansas, it is with joy and a flourish of bright pink flowers.more...Embracing the Beauty and Value of All PeopleThe world has changed a lot since Lions was founded in 1917. And Lions have changed with the times. What started as an inspired idea has turned into a global movement, bringing kindness and compassion to countless millions through the incredibly diverse projects engineered by the equally diverse men and…more...Waiting for the ShotBob Mead-Colegrove was a nervous wreck. A new hockey dad, Bob had signed up to play music for his son Andrew’s hockey game. Andrew was playing goalie for Team USA against Team Canada and, at 16, he was the youngest person on the team. Bob settled in next to the…more...Improving Vision and Well-Being in PalestineIn the State of Palestine, lack of eye care, often attributed to poverty and restricted access to health services, has caused undue personal and financial hardship. Lions see the hurt this causes their communities and with support from LCIF’s SightFirst program, they are changing that reality. Determined to improve community…more...Lions Quest Helps Students Adjust to Changes Caused by COVID-19It should be no surprise that COVID-19 is affecting today’s children and their education. Adjusting to online learning, adapting to a new way of life, and learning about an uncertain and seemingly ever-changing virus is giving children a level of stress they may have never known before. Though life can…more...LCIF Special FeatureHello Fellow Lion. I am excited about this Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) feature, highlighting valuable grant information, appreciation from beneficiaries touched by LCIF and Lions, a milestone celebration of SightFirst, Campaign 100 resources, exciting Lions Quest changes, and more! In exploring your foundation, I am confident you will gain…more...Christmas 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…more...Play with MeYoung children without sight can use these specially made balls to play with other children. Elias Mastoras couldn’t believe that he hadn’t seen the need to help young children who are blind play soccer. For years, Mastoras has helped make blind soccer popular across the world. Mastoras, a youth soccer…more...Parading 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…more...Prescription Pill Bottles Get New LifeAmericans are used to receiving their prescription medications in hard plastic orange bottles with child-safety caps that keep pills stable. This isn’t the case for many living in low- or middle-income countries around the world, where medications can be dispensed in folded paper scraps, leaving them vulnerable to weather or…more...The Psychology of HelpingWhen a photo appeared in September 2015 of a three-year old Syrian boy who drowned while trying to reach Europe with his family, the world seemed to momentarily open its eyes to a refugee crisis that had been quietly building for years. The boy’s name was Alan Kurdi, and in…more...The PianistOne warm September day a young man drove up to the Lion’s food tent near Gates, Oregon, pulling a flatbed with a grand piano on it. He is a pianist in a large orchestra, but due to COVID-19 all of his performances were canceled. Since the people couldn’t come to…more...