Celebrate this month with a couple of great Leo stories brought to you by two Leo Advisory Panelists.
Tinei Malvin Kawadza, Leo Advisory Panelist, Leo Club of Gunhill
The Leo Club of Gunhill is a community-based club in Harare, Zimbabwe under District 412A and is sponsored by the Lions Club of Harare West. The club was founded in 2013 and has 24 members.
The Leo Club of Gunhill hosts our annual signature project, Amazing Race, opening it to participation from other clubs in Harare. The event is organized as a means to combine service, fun, awareness and membership recruitment. In Amazing Race, Leos are split into teams of five people, and they have to go through various activities around the city of Harare which are guided by eight global causes. As Leos undertake these activities, they explain to the general public what Lions International is, donate food to the needy and raise awareness of diabetes and pediatric cancer, all as part of the Amazing Race. The winners are judged according to speed, effectiveness of carrying out tasks and the number of prospective Leo or Lion members they get.
For the 2024 edition, the Leo Club of Gunhill raised more than US$150 which was donated to KidzCan, a pediatric cancer organization in Harare, and donations of more than 10 pairs of spectacles. A minimum of 100 people also received awareness information about diabetes and pediatric cancer.
I believe other clubs need not reinvent the wheel. There are so many activities that happen around the world, and it's just a matter of adopting them for your club and giving them a contextual feel to see what is practical and impactful in your local community.
Lee Chun Lian, Leo Advisory Panelist, Leo Club of Riizealize
The Leo Club of Riizealize was chartered on August 15, 2024. Many of you might not know the meaning behind our club's name – it is a combination of "Rise" and "Realize." In short, it symbolizes rising from our past, realizing our mistakes and using them as motivation to improve in the future.
Our club is located in District 308B1, Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, and we are proudly sponsored by the Lions Club of KL Finnamic. Currently, our membership stands at 30 members, most of whom were active Leos during their school days. Now, we have reunited as a community-based club to serve the community again, like Avengers!
One of our meaningful projects was the International Chess Competition for Persons with Disabilities. Through this project, we discovered that despite their challenges, they never gave up and showcased incredible talent in chess. The participants included members from the Malaysian Blind Association, individuals with hearing impairments, mental disorders, Down Syndrome and more. The competition was a great success, providing them with an opportunity to shine, and allowing us, as Leos, to witness their passion for the game.
As Leo members, we feel fortunate to be part of a society that recognizes the efforts of Lions International. While we may not yet operate on a large scale, we can still visit these centers, engage in conversations and experience their daily lives. This helps us realize just how amazing our own lives are!
Congratulations to these two Leo clubs!
