President’s MessageChanging the World With YouDear Lions,I am truly honored and humbled to serve as your international president, and I am happy to share with you my message of Changing the World.For years, Lions and Leos have been changing the world, one community at a time. Now, collectively, we are setting bold ambitious goals to meet the needs of our neighbors, our communities and our world. Boldness and action are exactly what we can deliver as we tackle the biggest challenges that lie before us.Boldness, focused on success and excellence, and commitment to service: these are the benchmarks we must use to grow our clubs and districts so we can be there every time we’re called on to serve.At our international convention in Boston, I had the privilege of announcing our annual priorities and our four-year initiative, MISSION 1.5, which is our drive to reach 1.5 million members worldwide by the conclusion of the 2027 Lion year. Although I've been a Lion for over 30 years, it never ceases to amaze me how, as Lions and Leos, we rise to any challenge placed in front of us. I’m excited to embark on this exciting mission with you as we grow our membership and capacity to serve.I hope the stories in this issue will not only inspire you to grow your clubs and expand your service, but also to share your own stories. When you share your service and membership stories, you let the world know what it means to be a Lion. Every day is a great day to extend an invitation to a potential Lion to join us.Let’s be bold and lead the way to a better future and a world of change.Sincerely, Dr. Patti HillInternational President, Lions Clubs International Celebrate SuccessHello, Lions! I can’t believe my year as your international president is already coming to a close. But when I look back at the places I visited and the many faces I saw, I am humbled by the sheer scale of the work we do as Lions. We’ve had such incredible success! As we bring this Lion year to a close, let’s take a moment to reflect on our year and all the good work that we did. Remember, success can take many different forms. Yes, success is when you complete a meaningful service project or raise the required amount…more...Leaders Show the WayHello, Lions! Learning how to lead is one of the perks of being a Lion. We invest in our Lions to ensure that you have all the opportunities you need to become effective leaders in service, in your communities, and in life. But don’t mistake having a title for being a leader. You could be president of the world and still not be an effective leader. Leaders show the way through their actions. They inspire others by being the type of person others can look up to. Real leaders show up. They recognize what needs to be done. And they…more...Generations of Service Make Us StrongerHello, Lions! It’s amazing but not at all surprising to me when I meet a Lion who has served for five or six decades. Lions are the most dedicated people I’ve ever known. We live to serve, and we know our actions have real impact. But if we are to make a lasting impact, we must continue to bring new generations of Lions into the fold. Young people have skills and life experiences that can strengthen what we do and how we go about doing it. When experienced Lions welcome a new generation of members, clubs are strengthened, their service…more...Innovate—and Evolve. It’s in Our Roots.Hello, Lions! In 1917 a group of independent social clubs gathered at the LaSalle Hotel in downtown Chicago. They asked themselves if they might join forces to help their communities. At the time, it was incredibly innovative. International service organizations had yet to become a driving force for good in the world. But with the birth of the International Association of Lions Clubs, a whole new era began. Looking back, it seems so obvious. Of course those who have should band together and help those who have-not! But isn’t that how it is with innovation? When we look back, it…more...Building the Future We Want to SeeHello, Lions! Do you have big dreams for your club? Do you want to grow your membership, get young people more involved, or expand the kinds of service projects you do? When you dream big—and I know Lions like to dream big—it can feel overwhelming and hard to know where to start. But here’s the big secret of Lions—you don’t have to do it alone. The Global Action Team can help energize your efforts. We have a global foundation, LCIF, that’s here to empower you with financial support. And there are more than 48,000 clubs around the world who are…more...Fun is FundamentalHello, Lions! Well, I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing like a new year to fill me with a renewed sense of purpose, and I feel more eager than ever to do the important work that Lions do. Every year I like to take this time to pause and assess how we’re doing as a club. What have we done well so far and where have we stumbled? How can we build on our successes and learn from our mistakes? And, if your club is anything like mine, how can I prank the heck out of my Lion brothers…more...We are the Good ThingsHello, Lions! In Minnesota, even though December is cold and dark, our hearts are never more warm and filled with light than they are during this time. It’s in December that we share meals with loved ones and find ways to connect with friends we haven’t seen all year. We look for ways to give to those in need. And we are thankful, more than ever, for not only the things we have, but the ways in which we are able to help those who need us. Besides my family, there is nothing in this world I’m more thankful for…more...We are Team LionsHello, Lions! There’s one thing better than watching a great team in action—being on the team! There are few things I love more than pulling on a jersey, grabbing a glove, and taking my place on the field. It’s hard work, it requires dedication, but it’s also just so much fun. Of course, I’m talking about Team Lions. When my club goes out to serve, we do it as a unit. We wear our club shirts, we take our positions, and we use our individual strengths to help our team be successful. We aren’t just a club. We’re a group…more...Proud to be a LionHello, Lions! I’m proud to be from Bird Island. I’m proud to be a son and a father. But I’m most proud of my role as a Lion. Here in Bird Island everyone knows us. It’s a small community and our club has made our presence known in many ways, most prominently by building a large baseball stadium. But in lots of other small ways as well. You don’t have to do big things to make an impact in your community. Lions make a difference whenever they serve their community—whether it’s a food drive, participating in the peace poster contest,…more...The Many Ways We ServeHello, Lions! Just like we are all a little unique (or maybe even a lot unique) so is the way we serve. We are so diverse as Lions, and the people we serve are equally diverse. How I approach my service is based on what i saw my father do as a Lion and what my town needs from me today. How you approach service will be based on your background and what is needed in your community. And this is one of the many things I love about Lions. Having many ways in which we approach the world is…more...