The town of Linden, California, is a small, tight-knit community of approximately 1,200 located about 11 miles outside of Stockton. Farming is the primary industry in this town, with walnuts, cherries and beans being the major crops. However, despite its diminutive size, this town boasts one of the largest Lions clubs in the United States -- 207 members. That is approximately 17% of Linden's residents. The Lions club is an integral part of the fabric of Linden and participates in a majority of the community's annual events.

Linden Lions Club President Ron Cotta, an enormously enthusiastic and dedicated man, believes that the club's rich community involvement is the key to its membership success. "This is a little town with a big heart," Cotta said. "No matter where you are, you are going to cross the path of a Lion."

The club membership is diverse, reaching a broad cross-section of Linden's population. Several years ago, the club had a waiting list for members, but scratched that policy in favor of the "more is merrier" approach. "I actually like to hear that a person hasn't heard of the Linden Lions Club," quips Cotta. "I always think, 'there is a potential member.' " According to Cotta, a majority of the time he will recruit the unenlightened resident -- and add another able body to his busy club.

The club's annual schedule is packed with activities. With such a large membership base, the club never lacks volunteers to conduct its myriad service projects and fundraisers. There are some weekends when events are stacked one after another all day long -- a breakfast here (for 500 people), a lunch there and perhaps an evening event -- a feat a smaller club might not be able to handle.

The residents of Linden are pleased with the club's high profile in their community. In addition to the club playing a part in most of the town's events, the Lions' clubhouse is the primary facility for special events, such as the high school's prom and weddings. It is such an important building for the community that officials organized a fundraiser to help the Lions raise money to refurbish its kitchen. This mutually supportive relationship keeps both the club and community thriving.

Cotta believes that the resources to handle a full schedule of activities is just one of the benefits of having such a large club. That they are able to maintain such a full schedule keeps the members motivated because there is always something to do. He also thinks that while running a large club is not logistically easy, the members are quite content. Cotta is "honored to be president" of the Linden Lions Club and is proud of the fact that his members subscribe to the belief that it is "Not what the club can do for you, but what you can do for the club."

In the heart of the United States is another club that has certainly lived up to its potential. In just one year, the Independence (Host) Lions Club in Missouri showed a remarkable 305% increase in membership, and in doing so, revitalized a club that was declining.

With their club aging and becoming less active in the community, the Independence (Host) Club's board of directors decided to actively increase their membership to avoid becoming irrelevant over the next decade. Enlisting the help of their membership chairman, the club issued a challenge to members to increase the membership by 50 people. They also made a targeted list of groups that they did not feel were adequately represented in their club -- such as members of the police and fire departments, city hall and the school district -- and vowed to actively recruit people from those groups.

Club President Jack Ferguson, a go-getter who is passionate about the mission of Lions clubs, made it a point to keep the club focused on the goal at each and every meeting. He maintains that recruiting new members "isn't complicated and not difficult -- all you have to do is just ask," and he repeated that message to members over and over as the year progressed. He also made a point of encouraging members to "Just Do It" and set specific appointments on their calendars when they would go out and recruit members. By making membership growth a priority the club saw their membership grow from 31 to 94 members in only one year. Out of that new membership pool, they chartered a new club, the Gladstone Lions Club. The Independence (Host) Club now has a membership base in the 70s. In addition to their remarkable membership gains, the club also had a hand in chartering 3 additional clubs in Independence, a community of 113,000 residents.

To make the transition into the club smooth for new members, Ferguson instituted an informal mentoring program, matching up long-term members and new members with similar interests. He believes that this mentoring program went a long way in making both the new members and the long-term members feel comfortable with the changes that were taking place in the club.

Not only did the club focus on its membership recruitment goals, but members also took a look at other aspects of their club and made positive changes. The club now conducts a majority of its business at board meetings instead of club meetings, allowing the club meetings to become more interesting and entertaining by hosting additional speakers. As a noon club, they also instituted a guest night -- switching one meeting a month to an evening and encouraging members to bring guests.

The club has increased its service activities, setting a goal for one per month and actually exceeding that goal by conducting 18 service activities during the year. One facet of their service initiatives includes a deepened commitment to the youth in their community. A Youth Appreciation Dinner sponsored by the club drew 1,000 people, received extensive media coverage (including in their twin club's city in the Philippines) and helped the club recruit seven new members. The club is currently in negotiations with the school district, which has offered to sell the club 17,000 square feet of surplus building space for $1 if the Lions will develop it into a youth center.

Ferguson believes the Independence Host Lions Club is successful because it has the three essential elements of Lions clubs -- fellowship, community service and mutual support. "Our members empower one another," says Ferguson. "We build up and never tear down."

How these two clubs maintain their vivacity contains lessons for Lions looking to improve their clubs. Most of the strategies employed by these clubs are simple to implement, requiring only the commitment of a club's leadership team.

Select Enthusiastic Leaders: As demonstrated by club presidents Cotta and Ferguson, enthusiastic leaders possessing a passion for the objectives of Lions and the ability to motivate club members go a long way to helping clubs meet their goals.

Evaluate Your Club: Taking a realistic look at their club led the Independence Host Lions Club to decide that they needed to recruit some younger members in order to sustain the club into the future. Likewise, the 53-year-old Linden Lions Club recognized that an influx of new members is important, even if you already have 200 members on the books!

Set Goals: Both clubs challenged their members to help reach membership growth goals. The Independence Host Lions Club repeated the goals each week to keep members on track and motivated.

Just Do It: Ferguson constantly repeated this phrase to club members, letting them know that recruiting new members doesn't need to be a difficult experience: Simply set aside a time to ask qualified individuals if they are interested.

Just Ask: Ferguson also used this slogan to keep people motivated. Don't assume someone isn't interested. You never know until you ask.

Be an Integral Part of the Community: As both clubs ably demonstrate, clubs that are active and valued in the community will attract new members. There is a cyclical relationship between an active club, positive community support and membership gains. And after all, community service is what Lions clubs are all about.

Have a Twin: An interesting fact is that both clubs are twinned with clubs in other countries -- the Linden Lions Club with a club in Mexico and the Independence (Host) Lions Club with clubs in India and the Philippines. Both Cotta and Ferguson maintain that this twin relationship is extremely beneficial to club members. It allows them to see beyond their own communities and into the humanitarian initiatives performed by Lions worldwide -- making them more dedicated Lions in the process.

Welcome New Members: Take a cue from the Independence (Host) Club and support the sponsor by pairing new members with long-term members that have similar interests. This will help smooth the transition for both groups. (To create a more formal mentoring program, contact the Membership Operations Department at (630) 571-5466, ext. 356, to obtain Lions Mentoring Program materials.)

Reach Out to Youth: Both clubs have strong ties to the young people in their communities. Not only does it benefit youth, but it also opens up the club to membership opportunities with parents, teachers and administrators.

Keep Members Motivated: Having interesting meetings and satisfying service activities keep members dedicated to the club and to serving those in need.