When you think about the legacy of Lions Clubs International, you think about service. Ever since founder Melvin Jones had a vision to change the world through acts of kindness, service has been the heartbeat of the organization. It’s why people become Lions. It’s why you give your time and talents to your communities. It’s how you make lives better.
And that’s what it’s all about. This is what Lions have been doing for more than 100 years.
So, what is it about the service of Lions that has stood the test of time? Why does compassion continue to move Lions to act? In a world of increasing need, can Lions increase service to keep up? And can it be done even better?
Service is a journey
It takes time and planning. There are stages along the way. It takes you somewhere new. Somewhere special. And when you reach your destination, you’ve not only changed lives along the way, but you’ve changed, too.
Sometimes the journey is only metaphorical. But sometimes it’s real, and it takes you across borders, far from home.
The Service Journey is a new way to think about service. It has four phases—Learn, Discover, Act and Celebrate—that define the service experience. Each phase is connected. Each phase can help Lions innovate how they serve.
Knowledge is power
When you increase your understanding of your community and your world, you develop an awareness of the needs that are out there.
Learning makes it possible to be effective. In this phase, Lions gather the necessary information, draw insights and understand how new information fits into the bigger picture. This enables you to develop common goals and apply your experience to new projects.
Learning leads to discovery
Lions often create the greatest impact when they work right in their own communities. But there are often challenges that get in the way—resources that need to be gathered and expertise that needs to be sought.
When looking for ways to make an impact, Lions have to first discover what they can offer, what they can improve upon and what obstacles they might encounter.
When they find the answers to these questions and leverage their time, talent and resources as individuals—and collectively as a club and a global organization—Lions create new paths to opportunity.
Putting it into action
The third phase of the Service Journey is all about action. This is what Lions do best. Lions serve. Lions get things done. With the proper know-how (from the Learn and Discover phases), service projects can make a big impact on the communities in which Lions live and serve.
Celebrate the accomplishment
Service isn’t the end of the journey. The work that Lions do inspires more great work from other Lions. When Lions celebrate their work and tell their stories, they inspire more to join the movement.
Because celebration isn’t just about the past; it paves the way for the future. When Lions report on their service work, they contribute to a crucial set of data that will inform and inspire the future work Lions do. It empowers those who follow in their footsteps with the knowledge to make their service work that much better, that much more effective.
The ability to learn from and improve upon the past depends on the ability to record and share your stories of service. By taking photos, putting together a video and sharing your service on MyLion™, you help hone Lions’ ability to make meaningful change.
To serve is to grow
Lions are global citizens. They are leaders in community and humanitarian service. But even more than that, Lions are humans.
They all have a unique way of thinking about and engaging with the world around them. While no two Lions are the same, they are united in what drives them.
Lions serve so a hungry child can have a healthy meal. So a pair of glasses can help blurry eyes come into focus. So a community can defeat the spread of diabetes. So a world in need can hope.
Lions are constantly learning and discovering, and acting and celebrating. It’s part of being a Lion: as you serve, you grow.
Explore Service Project Planners
Erin Kasdin is the senior editor of LION Magazine.
This story was originally published in the January 2019 edition of LION Magazine.
