Larkspur Lions: Raising the Bar
by Brett Rush

Meet Larkspur Champion Lions Club President Ray Johansson. President Johansson, 37, leads a club nearly 40 members strong. The club recently partnered with the Salvation Army to raise money for the homeless, organized a giving tree for needy children and established a phenomenally successful third-Friday dance fund raiser that continues to draw crowds. Retention is strong, membership is growing and the club is making a positive impact in the community.

Call the Larkspur Champion Lions Club anything—successful, energetic, engaged in the community—just don’t call them disabled.

It’s an easy label to apply for most who aren’t familiar with the club. Every member has been categorized as a “special needs” or “developmentally disabled” individual, including Johansson. Larkspur Champions is one of only two Lions clubs (the other is in nearby Monterey) in the world entirely comprised of and administrated by developmentally disabled members.

The club established its roots a decade ago under the guidance of Past District Governor Warren O’Glove of the Novato 7-Upper Lions. Originally called the San Rafael Lions, the club changed its venue and its name to Larkspur, an affluent San Francisco Bay-area community of 12,000 residents.

The club’s members come from a smattering of towns across Marin County, where many of them hold jobs in grocery stores, retail outlets and flower shops sweeping floors and stocking shelves. Club mentor Erin Duggan, 43, has witnessed the club’s continued growth since becoming involved with it more than 10 years ago.

Many of the relationships, Duggan says, have developed from the special education and recreation groups most members grew up in.

“Our members are typically adults, 35 or 40 years old, so usually they don’t have much of a family,” Duggan explains. “Most of them knew each other before becoming Lions. They’ve been put in a system—basically since birth—where each agency that helps them is a separate agency, but each person is going to the same resource for the same activities—jobs, basketball, trips out to parks or museums. They have a social network first, before they come here, but the club is another chance for them to be with their friends and do something different.”

Larkspur Champions stand, salute the American flag and sing the national anthem before every meeting, often adding an enthusiastic “play ball!” at its conclusion. They also pause for a moment in recognition of all those who need support before proceeding through the meeting’s agenda. Outside of meetings, the club also takes classes and participates in basketball games with other community groups. It’s a routine, Duggan says, that members look forward to.

Although club functions and activities are administrated by members, the club does get guidance in other areas. Duggan, her mother Diane, Beth Suess and Galen Dunham serve as mentors to the club, providing assistance in transportation and secretarial duties, though members always make the final decision on club matters. When the mood strikes, the mentors also pitch in on the club’s service activities.

Duggan’s involvement stems from a recreation project she ran with Suess as a student at San Francisco State University. The duo formed RECinc., a nonprofit that provides recreation programs for the developmentally disabled. Now, RECinc serves as a vehicle helping to coordinate the club’s activities.

Perceived throughout their lives as needing assistance from others, club members relish helping the less fortunate. The club dedicated itself early on to raising money for the homeless and needy in Marin, and has partnered in the past with the Salvation Army to earn donation money as bell-ringers outside grocery stores and shopping malls. That partnership is in flux now, but members remain dedicated to the cause.

Charter member and former club president Erik Peerand enjoys the camaraderie, but also values the ability to make a difference in others’ lives. “I get to have fun with my friends,” Peerand said. “We have fun picking up the hearing aids and glasses, and we get to help the kids.”

Johansson enjoys the third-Friday dances organized by the club. It gives members a chance to socialize, but also helps raise money from the sale of refreshments.
“We have things to do at meetings, and they are fun, but we also have fun at the dances,” Johansson said.

Members also visit other Lions clubs in Las Gallinas, Novato and Sausalito. Visits to other clubs are eagerly anticipated and always well attended, Duggan said, but the impact on host clubs is often more significant, she added.

“When they visit other clubs for dinners and go to events, I think the other Lions see it,” Duggan said. “This group is just so excited to be Lions. It’s incredibly important to them. It’s a huge part of their lives. They’re so proud of what Lions stand for, and I think the other Lions who see that come away a lot more inspired. It affects them.”

Peerand and Johannson don’t envision getting tired of service any time soon. “It’s a big part of our life, and we get to help people that need it,” Johannson said. “Lions is about helping others, and we can all do that.”