PopularSmall Desks Make a Big DifferenceWhen the Agawam Lions in Massachusetts authorized funds to build 20 desks for students schooling from home, cautious members wondered if they’d be lucky to give that many away. Dick Lanier’s workshop was full of desks for children, all made by Lions, in Agawam, Mass. But even an experienced Lion…more...When Seeing Clearly is a Luxury, Lions Create ChangeIn underserved areas of Utah, USA, eye care can be inaccessible and unaffordable. Lions, who care deeply about the welfare of their community, recognize the large number of children going without eye care and are working to provide the care they need.more...All Eyes On the North American Membership InitiativeIn 1917, Melvin Jones laid the groundwork for what would become an international beacon of kindness and service. In a relatively short time after Lions Clubs International’s founding, the organization grew beyond borders and cultural barriers, gaining members across the world. The organization today has more than 1.4 million members…more...Lions Quest Helps Children Cope with PandemicCOVID-19. Mention the virus, and thoughts of fighting off physical illness come to mind. Yet there is another side of the global pandemic that’s taking a different troubling toll — a toll on young people’s mental well-being. Childhood can be challenging under the best of circumstances, and today, quarantines, thoughts…more...More Than One Way To ServeStories from LCIF’s 2017-2018 Annual Report Lions are doers. There is so much to be done in the world. And the physical act of helping can feel so good—hammering a nail in the frame of a new house for a tornado victim, ladling soup for a hungry child, or ushering…more...Past LCIF Support Prepares Sierra Leone for COVID-19From 2014 to 2016, Sierra Leone battled the Ebola virus. That battle helped prepare them for today's battle with COVID-19.more...LCI Forward UpdateThe world is moving forward and so is LCI. Five years ago LCI announced the strategic plan to serve 200 million people annually by focusing our efforts in areas we felt would best get us to that goal. It’s amazing what we’ve done so far. Over the past four years…more...The Bird ArtistIn early spring, sometimes as early as the first cold mornings of March, Jeff Klinefelter will rouse before daybreak and drive out to his pond to get in place before the migrating ducks or other birds light on the water or the woodland edge.more...The PianistOne warm September day a young man drove up to the Lion’s food tent near Gates, Oregon, pulling a flatbed with a grand piano on it. He is a pianist in a large orchestra, but due to COVID-19 all of his performances were canceled. Since the people couldn’t come to…more...SightFirst Gives New Life to People in Burkina FasoSightFirst Gives New Life to People in Burkina Faso LCIF’s SightFirst program has been restoring and protecting sight for almost 30 years and is now present in 102 countries. This extraordinary program develops comprehensive eye care systems providing aid to underserved populations by developing comprehensive eye care systems. Projects include…more...Clearing Clouded Vision in VanuatuClerence has battled diabetes since she was a baby. Unable to afford medical care, she developed cataracts which seriously impaired her vision. She lives in the gorgeous archipelago nation of Vanuatu, home to lush rainforests, soft sand beaches, and surrounded by turquoise water; however, the 23-year-old woman could no longer…more...Mending the Social FabricWhen neighborhoods determine who is healthy and who is sick What makes us who we are? Beyond the genes that code for our eye color and skin tone, what determines all the nuances that make us…us? Are we strong because we inherited our grandmother’s sturdy build, or is it because…more...Empowering LionsThe LCIF Annual Report 2018 - 2019 Since 1968, LCIF has dedicated our energies to increasing the ability of Lions everywhere, helping them empower the communities they serve. With every grant we give, our history grows, along with the impact of Lions. Today, we could not be more proud of…more...Thriving In The Digital EcosystemScientists are still unsure when, or how exactly, animals took flight. They do know it happened four separate times: in insects, bats, birds, and pterosaurs. Whether gliding from treetops or jumping from the ground, at some point in history animals began flapping their arms. And eventually, they flew.more...Students in Anchorage Develop Life Skills Through Lions QuestAnchorage School District has been a nationwide leader in SEL programming for many years, but was searching for one unified program to implement across their middle schools. Lions recognized a unique opportunity; through their own network, they had connections with district leadership, and through LCIF, they had access to both…more...Sight for Kids, a Powerful PartnershipSight for Kids, a Powerful Partnership Ben was 3 years old. He should have felt happy, inquisitive, and brave. Instead, he always seemed to have an angry expression on his face. He rarely smiled. In addition, he had delayed motor skills and difficulty walking; he would frequently run into things.…more...Going Gaga for GagaBatting a ball around a Gaga pit, students at Lillian Berg Public School in Vermilion Bay, Ontario, run, jump and twist to evade a ball being launched at them by other players. Vermillion Bay Lions were hands on in building a gaga pit for local kids. The game, called Gaga…more...Tornado Puts Small Town in TailspinWhen an EF3 tornado tore through Seneca, S.C., last spring, destroying more than 200 homes and damaging another 1,700, it passed within one quarter mile of the Golden Corner Food Pantry, the largest food pantry in Oconee County. They serve an average of 1,000 households a month, including hundreds of…more...Be Our GuestsWhen a powerful earthquake hit the Aegean Sea on the western coast of Turkey this fall, Lions and Leos were the first non-governmental organization at any of the rescue sites. “Where can I go?” “How can I find the authorities?” “Where will I live?” “Who will feed my children?” Although…more...Waiting for the ShotBob Mead-Colegrove was a nervous wreck. A new hockey dad, Bob had signed up to play music for his son Andrew’s hockey game. Andrew was playing goalie for Team USA against Team Canada and, at 16, he was the youngest person on the team. Bob settled in next to the…more...Campaign 100 Is Supporting New Opportunities for LionsCommunities around the world are in great need, facing challenges that seem to grow and multiply. Nevertheless, Lions work tirelessly – whether it is reaching out to neighbors across town or across borders – to create lasting positive change. Thanks to grants from LCIF, Lions receive the support they need…more...Cans for Kids with CancerThe Marquette Lions spent weeks in an empty chicken barn sorting cans for recycling. The Marquette Lions envisioned a simple three-hour event to collect and recycle empty, refundable aluminum cans. But they ended up moving a mountain — a mountain of 81,501 empty beverage cans worth 10 cents apiece, and…more...The Psychology of HelpingWhen a photo appeared in September 2015 of a three-year old Syrian boy who drowned while trying to reach Europe with his family, the world seemed to momentarily open its eyes to a refugee crisis that had been quietly building for years. The boy’s name was Alan Kurdi, and in…more...Animatronic Pets Bring Real JoyIt was early August 2018, and Susan Matroni was listening to the evening news from her home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when she looked up and saw her mother on the television screen. “I don’t usually sit down and watch the news early, but for some reason I turned on the…more...Christmas is for the BirdsFor generations the Swedes have fostered the holiday spirit by saving the last cuttings of the harvest to make a Julkarve, or Yule Sheaf. It’s a bundle of oats that’s hung on a lamp post, fence, or barn to feed the birds on Christmas morning. As legend goes, if many…more...Your Best Lion Year Ever2020 - 2021 Being a Lion isn’t only about serving; it’s also about having fun. With new clubs popping up, and old clubs taking a new look at how they Lion, there are all kinds of ways to design a fun and productive year of service. Here’s your guide to…more...KidSight Program Expands to Change Lives in ColombiaEsteban had never had his vision screened before. He had never seen those strange devices, but the Lions who brought them made him feel safe. He and his schoolmates lined up for vision testing, then followed the simple instructions: Look straight ahead and find the little bunny on the front…more...From the AshesIt was after her husband died in 2015 that Karen Crook became a Lion, at least that is the official story. But it really goes back to her parents – and Paradise. That is the name of the Northern California town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain…more...Better TogetherWhen the world’s largest service organization comes together with one of the United States’ largest health benefits companies, good things are bound to happen.more...Lions Celebrate 20 Years of SightFirst in MadagascarCataracts are the number one cause of blindness. Moved to change the reality for those affected, more than 20 years ago, Lions in Madagascar started a SightFirst project to address the issue. Since then, the Lions have gone on to do so much more. “When we see the smiles of…more...Diabetes: Lions Take on a Global Epidemic Diabetes: Lions Take on a Global Epidemic It’s an easy, 12-minute drive from Len Dompke’s suburban Chicago home to the local hospital. Yet, the first time Dompke made the drive, it was one of the hardest of his life. Making this drive meant recognizing and changing some unhealthy habits,…more...Super KidsLions in Germany believe life should have as many magical moments as possible. Those moments can help keep courage up and hope alive in difficult times. And that's exactly what the Braunschweig Lions Club wanted to do for a total of nine children at the Braunschweig Pediatric Cancer ward (K5).…more...The InvisiblesA cast of characters deep in Florida’s interior help the unseen to see. “ I struggle with what God wants me to do. Feed the hungry? Clothe the naked? Visit the imprisoned? Is that everybody or only U.S. citizens? ” - Lion Margarita Romo, Dade City Hispanic American Club. Past…more...Power, Peace, and PurposeAs an 11-year-old boy fighting cancer in 1999, Michael Hunt learned many lessons. One has been unforgettable: “Breathe in the light. Blow out the darkness.” Twenty years later, he is a black belt in Tai Kwon Do who works to help kids learn the power they have inside.more...Kitchen Gardens Feed the Belly and the SoulResidents of the St. Lucy Home for the Elderly on the West Indian island of Saint Lucia have been enjoying a bounty of freshly grown vegetables that are adding flavor and valuable nutrients to their diets. Thanks, in part, to the efforts of the 50-member strong Castries Lions Club, an…more...A Heartfelt Gift to Families in NeedIn the summer of 2019, the doors to Heartfelt House opened in Springfield, Oregon, offering affordable lodging to out-of-town families of patients at the newly constructed PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. Among the more than 600 donors who contributed from US$10 to US$1 million are Lions. More than…more...Parading AroundFor more than a century the people of Pickerington, Ohio, have celebrated Labor Day in a big way. And for 72 of those years, the Pickerington Lions Club has run the show. Past years have featured horse shows, flower shows, boxing matches, and horse races, but two things have always…more...Potato PirouetteWhen COVID-19 hit Lions in France, they didn’t stop dancing, they just changed their moves.more...Steam Team Revives Lost LocoIt took the advanced engineering skills of dozens of volunteers and more than 30 years of meticulous work, but the restoration of an old steam locomotive train is now complete, thanks in big part to Lions in Renwick, New Zealand. Restoration began with a collection of steam train enthusiasts, retired…more...Lions Mobilize to Shield Healthcare WorkersWhen the country went into lockdown due to COVID-19, DG Waldoylson da Silva Miranda’s manufacturing facility, which he owns with his wife, Tatianna Afio, came to a grinding halt. As Miranda hunkered down with the rest of the country to wait out the virus, he watched a steady stream of…more...Leaving It All BehindLiz McMillan was at a community event in Ashburton District, New Zealand, about an hour’s drive from Christchurch, when she heard the news. A white supremacist had attacked Muslim worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand’s second largest city of Christchurch on the South Island, killing 51 people and injuring…more...‘Dogumentary’ Showcases Puppy RaisersThe King City Lions Club in Oregon welcomed a celebrity to one of their meetings: Potomac, a guide dog in training. Filmmakers were documenting his progress and the training of four other Labradors from Guide Dogs for the Blind, based in San Rafael, California. Potomac, lively and friendly, charmed the…more...Past International President Rohit C. Mehta, known as the Father of Indian Lionism, died on the morning of September 17, 2020. He was 91 years old. The late Past International President Mehta became a Lion in 1956 and after years of dedication and service to the association, became International President…more...Horse PowerFor Lion Diane Besson, saving an old horse was just the beginning It was 2018 and Diane Besson was off to Muskego, Wisconsin, to pick up her eggs from the local CSA (community-sponsored agriculture) she’d joined. As she pulled up to the farm, she noticed a couple of tiny horses…more...Connecting the DotsIn Tennessee, a Norris Lions service project to make the walk to school a little nicer for elementary students turned into a joint project with the children and a celebration of art. It all began with the Norris Lions’ project to spruce up a tunnel in the town that connects…more...Feed MeAh, the pancake breakfast. A great Lion tradition filled with all the things Lions love: filling bellies, seeing friendly faces, and raising money for a good cause. Pancakes have been around since at least 600 B.C. And pancakes breakfasts – complete with towering stacks of the fluffy cakes and the…more...Playing With MusicAt Montezuma Elementary School in rural Iowa every kid gets to be a cool percussionist and there are no wrong notes. Thanks to the Montezuma Lions Club there are nine musical percussion instruments on the school’s playground. Included with the xylophones is a color-coded music book with notes for songs…more...Lions Quest Helps Students Adjust to Changes Caused by COVID-19It should be no surprise that COVID-19 is affecting today’s children and their education. Adjusting to online learning, adapting to a new way of life, and learning about an uncertain and seemingly ever-changing virus is giving children a level of stress they may have never known before. Though life can…more...FoundAfter years of experience working in search and rescue, Renfrew Lion Bob Boyer in Canada knew first-hand the fear that sets in for families when a loved one goes missing. So, when a caller suggested his club support the nonprofit International Project Lifesaver (IPL), Boyer says, “It lit a fire…more...A High NoteSometimes Saving One Life Can Help Change Your Own His father calls him “cheeky and cheerful.” Jayden, 3, also is—in the best sense possible—a mimic of sorts. Often confined to a hospital bed while he battles cancer, he’s accustomed to being helped. But he’s learned to do unto others as…more...