Guðrún Björt Yngvadóttir

Home Club: Elk Lions Club, Gardabaer, Iceland
Years in Lions:  Became a Lion in 1992

Service Snapshot:
What do you like best about being a Lion?
Being a Lion has made me a better person and a better leader.

What is your favorite Lions club memory?
In Iceland we have a national wide fundraising “The Red Feather” every fourth or fifth year, where we sell red feathers for a big national project. When I, as a young Lion, participated for the first time in the “Red Feather” I was not very happy with selling the feathers, walking door to door.  But one incident gave me the motivation I needed. I knocked at a door and a gentleman opened the door.  I told him that I was a Lions and we were fundraising. He stopped me and said: “I know Lions and why you are here. I can thank Lions that I am not blind today.” He told me, that when he was young, studying at the University, he almost lost his sight through disease. He was told that his sight might be saved with an operation, but they did not have the equipment need. If he could afford to go abroad to a bigger eye clinic he might have the chance. He could not afford it and his sight got worse and worse. But one day he got a phone call from the hospital. The Lions clubs in Iceland had through a national fundraising, the first “Red Feather” in 1972, bought the modern equipment for the new eye clinic and he was the first patient. “They saved my sight and I finished my studies and have been working as a scientist after that. I thanked Lions for his sight and my career.” He asked me “How many feathers do you have?” I had almost a full box, had not sold many. “I’ll buy them all,” he said “…and keep on with your good work.” What an encouragement for a young Lion and it was not quite as hard to go out selling “completely useless things” like red feathers after this experience.” I was proud to be a Lion.

What would you say to a woman who is considering Lions clubs membership?
I would encourage her to join a club and if there were no clubs in the area, I would support her, or find support for her to be a charter member in a new club. I would also encourage her to be an active member in her club and at the district level if possible. It is a great experience and important personal development to face the challenges in a Lions club.

People are different and do have different needs. Some people have more social needs, needs for the friendship in the Lions club. Other have strong need for serving others and participate in a voluntary service organization. Some people have more needs for personal development and are ready for leadership roles. We need strong leaders, men and women. Most importantly we need all kinds of people and we can offer all these opportunities in our Lions clubs. Our members have different strengths and interests and they have all these choices.

Marking a Milestone
Gudrun Yngvadottir has been a Lion since 1992, but has been involved with the association for many years prior, supporting her spouse with his many Lions activities. “I learned about Lions clubs when my husband became a member in his early thirties. The club members became our best friends and they still are. When my husband became a district governor, I traveled with him, attended meetings and then I really understood what Lions was all about,” she said. Her husband subsequently served as council chairperson and then Campaign SightFirst chairperson from 1991-94. During that time, Yngvadottir immersed herself in learning more about Lions. “I was very active in the whole campaign, though I wasn’t yet a member,” she said. “I read a lot about Lions and especially their sight programs, ever since Helen Keller challenged the Lions to be her ‘knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.’ Learning about the vision and the strength of this big organization, made me a real Lion and I was very happy when I was invited to become a member in 1992.”

Yngvadottir has served the association in many capacities on the club and district level. She has focused most of her efforts in the area leadership development. She has been the coordinator of the Regional Lions Leadership Institute in Iceland since its inception as well as serving as the multiple district Leadership Development chairperson for seven years. She enjoys organizing leadership seminars and training and has brought her time and talents as a presenter and trainer to the Lions Leadership Institutes in Europe, the Europa Forum, National Conventions in Europe and the Lions Clubs International Convention. “I have been the coordinator of our Leadership Institute from the beginning and I still am. This is my main function today, along with organizing leadership seminars and training. This what I have enjoyed the most,” she commented.

Yngvadottir has embraced the opportunities being a Lion has provided. She feels it has helped her be a better person and leader. “Being the member of an international service organization has made me more broadminded, understanding and appreciative,” she said. “It has given me an opportunity to face all kinds of challenges. Projects need to be planned, problems have to be solved, new ideas have to be created and members have to be taken care of. If you help your Lions club to grow and be strong, you grow too. By taking on some leadership roles you develop your skills. You find your strengths that you did not know about and you realize your weaknesses. My experience from Lions has also been extremely useful in my profession, my career. Being a Lion has made me a better leader.”

Yngvadottir is pleased with the participation of women in Lions clubs and sees them as a great potential for growth in the association. “Men and women do have the same role in Lions clubs, but we play the role differently due to our strengths, the club’s traditions, the needs of our communities and the changes in our society, environment and culture.  Women have different experiences and can contribute to clubs with new thinking, new approaches, a new image and new successes.” She sees the 20th anniversary of women being Lions as an excellent opportunity to promote awareness of women Lions, show appreciation for the contributions they have made and continue the growth the association has seen.

She offers the following advice for approaching new women for membership. “When offering opportunities to women – or any member – in our clubs, we have to remember to use the right ‘bait.’ Women in your area/culture might not be interested in the same opportunities as the men in your area. And women worldwide are not the same group, they have different interests and needs.” She urges Lions to find out what those interests and needs are and to develop an approach that meets those needs.

Yngvadottir believes that all members benefit from being a Lion, and enjoys the instant camaraderie that all Lions share. “In Lions clubs you have the opportunity to make a contribution to your community, to help people in need,” she said. “And there are many other opportunities to being a Lion as well – you will enjoy friendship. The Lions lapel pin is like a passport, it opens the door to friendship. Wherever you are in the world, when you meet a person with a Lions pin, you start talking, and you are with a friend.”