LatestReaching OutWhen Lions in Easton, Massachusetts saw images on TV of the devastation wrought by a tornado that tore through Kentucky in December 2021, they knew they wanted to do something to help. A tornado in December of 2021 hit the downtown of Mayfield, Kentucky hard. “It looked [like] something out…more...What It Means To Be A Lion“Home is not where you live, it’s where you’re understood. And when I got involved with the Lions, I felt home there.” KEVIN WHITLEY, Anchorage Lions Club, Alaska.more...The DNA of LionsWhy do Lions become Lions? Is serving in the genes? A look at what makes Lions tick and how a life of service has benefits beyond helping those we serve.more...A Wheelie Good CauseThe River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions in South Carolina are proof that good deeds don’t require great skill. Just desire. Moe Bell and Lion Rick Thomas check out bikes for the Toys For Happiness charity in South Carolina. Lion Rick Thomas, a retired chemical engineer, was an avid cyclist for 20…more...Whales in the BayEvery year on their Old Newsboys Day, the Michigan Alpena Lions take a day to spread fake news, and people are more than eager to read it. This year’s “Extra Extra” edition of the Alpena News had the scoop on billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk planning to raise all…more...The Fall from HeavenTo many, Australia is heaven on Earth. North to south, the massive country offers diverse and breathtaking landscapes, with lush rainforests in the northeast transforming to majestic mountain ranges in the country’s south. Natural beauty combined with cosmopolitan flair are no doubt among the reasons 26 million people call the…more...Stopping to Smell the HerbsWhether it is a Lions’ or a Boy Scouts’ meeting, a wedding reception, a picnic for the visually impaired, or a person renting crutches from a medical closet, Five Senses Park in Wheatfield, New York is certainly a community hub. The pavilion is one of many popular amenities at the…more..."Welcome My Friend"Camp Ho Mita Koda, the world’s first and oldest operating summer camp for kids with Type 1 diabetes, will soon be welcoming campers year-round, thanks largely to LCIF and the hands-on work and financial support of the Lions in Northeast Ohio. Founded in 1929, the Ohio camp about 25 miles…more...Recycling Christmas CheerLion Linda Eckard was working as a controller at a local metal recycling center in 2010 when she had a light-bulb moment. Her club in Hanover, Minn. could recycle all those Christmas lights that were being tossed in the trash. It would be like giving two presents in one. Between…more...Standing Down—and Up—for VeteransFlags will be raised, bugles will sound taps, and wreaths will be laid on November 11 as many Lions throughout the country pay homage on Veterans Day to members of the military—both living and dead—who have served their country. For Lion Elmer Madrid, a Vietnam War veteran and president of…more...After Diabetes Diagnosis, One Lion Makes it His Mission to Spread AwarenessWhen Lion Pat Ryan was a child, his grandmother came to live with his family. One thing Ryan noticed quickly was that his grandmother had two different sized feet – size 10 on her right and size 8 on her left. The reason? She had all of her toes amputated…more...Scaring is CaringIn their 45 years the Broadview Heights Lions have never hosted a pancake breakfast. In lieu of a day started with hot flapjacks and friendly neighbors, the Ohio club chooses to spend its year working on ways to scare the bejesus out of the unknowing and innocent at Bloodview Haunted…more...Straight From a Lion’s MouthBeing able to hear a recording of LION magazine helps Lion Andy Arvidson, who is blind, stay informed and connected with other Lions. In a project called Lions Reading to Lions, the magazine, which comes out two times a year, is recorded by members of three clubs in Georgia: the…more...Seeing A Way ThroughThe Taos Lions traditionally screen more than 1,000 students from 17 schools each year in Taos County, New Mexico. But with hybrid schedules and remote learning last year, they couldn’t safely do the usual testing of an entire student body in one day inside a darkened auditorium. Lions in in…more...Hi NeighbourThe birds in North Vancouver’s Hamersley Park couldn’t stop tweeting about their new homes. But the 38 hand-painted houses hung by Lynn Valley Lions Eric Miura and Mike Mavius weren’t just for the birds. The Birdhouse Project was part of United Way British Columbia’s “Hi Neighbour” program to encourage community…more...LCIF Grant Funds Life-Saving Cancer Research in AustraliaGloom and rain don’t keep 13-year-old Jack from fishing with his grandfathers. What would have stopped him just a few years ago was aggressive cancer doctors weren’t sure he’d survive. Jack’s first bout with cancer was a brain tumor. With surgery removing the growth, Jack’s cancer was eradicated. Just 18…more...Reaching Across the WorldLeos in New Jersey found the perfect service project by reaching out to students in China who need extra practice in the English language skills.more...Well DoneLion Bryan Roppolo is serious about barbeque. Look for him on a weekend and you may find him competing in barbeque contests where he labors over a hot smoker hoping to produce a tasty and award-winning pork loin, beef brisket, slab of ribs, or chuck roast. Roppolo, who is a…more...UnconventionalThe 2020-2021 Lion Year was unlike any other, and it culminated in a truly unconventional convention. In so many ways the 103rd Annual Lions Clubs International Convention was everything Lions have come to expect and more. It was a big event jam-packed with seminars, shows, guest appearances, and inspiring addresses.…more...Hakuna MatataIn-person gatherings have been sorely missed by the clients of the Lion Center for the Visually Impaired (LCVI) in Pittsburg, California. The center, which serves about 200 seniors a year who are blind or have low vision, shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of…more...A Noble CausePat Lalor’s family has been farming in Ireland for a very long time – since 1844 to be exact. “It’s what we’re best at,” says Lalor, a slim 72-year-old organic oat farmer. One farmer had a litter of nine puppies and gave the money from their sale to the project.…more...Everybody’s Gone SurfingLions in California have been hosting an annual Surfing Clinic for the Blind and Visually Impaired for more than 25 years. And it's a big hit.more...Reaching Rural Communities Fighting COVID-19Lions in Karoi, Zimbabwe, fight to save their community from the spread of COVID-19 by traveling deep into rural areas to deliver vaccines. “Our desire is to reach herd immunity in our little town,” says Lion Chipo Green.more...A 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...