News Release

Media Contacts:

Melitta J. Cutright

Kristopher Kempski

15,000 Lions to Roar into Seattle, Washington, USA July 4-8

OAK BROOK, Illinois, USA, June 1, 2011 – More than 15,000 members of Lions Clubs International and their families will gather in Seattle, Washington, USA as part of the association’s 94th Lions Clubs International Convention. Convention events will be held Monday, July 4, through Friday, July 8 in the Washington Convention Center and Key Arena – Seattle Center.

Highlights of the convention will include:

• A spectacular Parade of Nations with 10,000 Lions from 100 countries, many in native dress, along with bands and colorful floats. The parade will step off at 10:00 on Tuesday, July 5 and march from the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Denny Avenue to the Washington Convention Center. Leading the Parade will be the Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band, the only high school band in the nation made up of blind students, that participated in the 2010 Rose Parade.

• Presentation of the young winners of the Lions International Peace Poster Contest and the Power of Peace Essay Contest for blind and visually impaired students on Wednesday, July 6 at Key Arena – Seattle Center.

• A colorful flag ceremony with the flags of Lions nations from around the world at 11:45 on Wednesday, July 6 at Key Arena – Seattle Center.

• Election of the 2011-2012 Lions Clubs international president, Wing-Kun Tam of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), The People’s Republic of China, on Friday, July 8 at Key Arena – Seattle Center. Tam will be the first person from China to serve as president of the world’s largest service club organization.

Presiding over the convention will be 2010-11 International President Sid L. Scruggs III of Vass, North Carolina. President Scruggs has led the association through a year of increased community service, including world-wide campaigns to engage youth, preserve sight, feed the hungry and protect the environment.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.35 million members in more than 46,000 clubs in 207 countries and geographic areas. In addition to its efforts toward conquering blindness, the organization has made a strong commitment to community service and helping youth throughout the world. To learn more about Lions Clubs International, visit www.lionsclubs.org.

###

Attention media:  Media passes for events at Key Arena – Seattle Center will be available from the Convention Operations Office, Room 401 Washington State Convention Center. All events at Key Arena – Seattle Center are closed to the general public. For more information about convention events, visit the Online Convention.