President’s MessageFun is FundamentalHello, 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 trying to do exactly what you are—build the club of their dreams. So go to local conventions and meet the Lions in your district. Trade ideas, get phone numbers, make connections.The Seal Beach Lions Club in California didn’t become North America’s largest club by accident. They recognized they wanted to grow, and they wanted a membership that reflected their community—a diverse range of ages and life experiences. But rather than begin a heavy recruitment plan, they focused on building the kind of club that others would want to join. And it worked. You can do it, too.Decide what is important to your club and then go after it. Build it. The results will come.Make a great day, Brian E. SheehanInternational President, Lions Clubs International 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...Together We Are Team LionsHello, Lions! Boy, am I excited to be addressing you for the first time as your new International President. If you know me, you know I like making everything just a little bit fun. And if you don’t know me, well, I hope you will come to know and love my approach to service—which is to do everything with a whole lot of energy and a smile. People say I have a lot of energy, and they’re right. And you know what, I intend on using every bit of it to lift you up and cheer you on this year.…more...Your Most Precious ResourceDear Lions, What do you do with your free time? I believe that how you spend your free time can change you. Most of us are so busy racing through the day that it becomes easy to let those free moments slip through your fingers—whether it’s aimlessly scrolling the internet or spending too much time worrying about something that is out of your control. But I believe it’s crucial to be intentional about how we use our most precious resource—time. One thing Lions all have in common is the fact that we’ve committed to using our free time to help…more...Sow the Seeds of PeaceDear Lions, I have never had much of a green thumb, but I know the importance of gardening. I know we will reap what we sow. And if we don’t plant the seeds of kindness and love, we will not see the glow of peace. Every year we ask students to show us what peace means to them through our Peace Poster and Essay contests, and the results never fail to astound me. They paint beautiful, vividly colored portraits of love and harmony; sharing and understanding. I am encouraged by their vision of the potential of our world. And while…more...Tending To Our Common HomeDear Lions, I have always believed that you take care of the things you care about. That’s why I keep my home tidy and my plants watered. When something is damaged, I fix it. I know that if I don’t do these things, my house won’t be the place I want to call home. The rooms would be a mess if I didn’t keep them clean, the house would fall into disrepair if I didn’t take care of it, and my plants would die if I didn’t bring them water. My house is in Brooklyn. Yours may be in Kentucky,…more...Tell the World Your StoryDear Lions, Once upon a time…remember those magic words? They have the power to instantly transport you to another place and time. That’s what stories do. They stop time and enable you to imagine other worlds. When I was young, I loved to read stories about baseball players and listen to my grandmother tell stories about our family. Today, I love the stories I hear about you. Lion stories are the greatest stories on Earth. They are stories about kindness and effort and grace. They are stories about bringing people together and giving of ourselves because we know in our…more...