To be a volunteer in the Lions Club means joining a global community of over 1.4 million members dedicated to the motto, “We Serve”. Unlike casual volunteering, becoming a “Lion” involves a deeper commitment to a specific club’s community, traditions, and global humanitarian causes.
Core Responsibilities
Volunteers are expected to actively contribute their “time, talent, and treasure” to improve their local and global communities. Typical duties include:
- Service Projects: Participating in activities such as facilitating health screenings, feeding the hungry, cleaning local parks, and providing disaster relief.
- Fundraising: Helping organize events like food drives, “Ribfests,” and community markets to raise money for charity.
- Club Meetings: Attending regular meetings (usually twice per month) to plan upcoming projects and conduct club business.
- Financial Commitment: Members pay annual dues (e.g., approximately US$43 for international dues, plus local club fees) to cover administrative overhead, ensuring that 100% of public donations go directly to service projects.
Key Areas of Impact
Lions Club International focuses on eight primary global causes:
- Vision: Working to prevent avoidable blindness and providing eyeglasses.
- Hunger: Improving food security and access to nutritious food.
- Diabetes: Raising awareness and improving the quality of life for those affected.
- Other Pillars: Childhood cancer, environment, youth programs, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid.
Benefits of Volunteering
- Personal Growth: Opportunities to develop leadership skills through specialized training and managing local initiatives.
- Fellowship: Building lifelong friendships and a sense of “family” with like-minded, service-oriented people.
- Global Networking: Gaining a sense of belonging to the world’s largest service organization with members in over 200 countries.