Congratulations! You have just become a part of the largest service organization in the world. Lions Clubs International has approximately 1.4 million members in more then 45 thousand clubs, in 197 countries and geographical regions around the world. You are very fortunate, for you were selected to be a Lion by other Lions, as our membership is by invitation only. The club is open to men and women who volunteer their time and services to humanitarian causes.
The club Motto is “We Serve”. What better way to express the true mission of Lionism? The name Lions Club from the associations slogan: “L iberty, I ntelligence, O ur N ations S afety” (LIONS)
The emblem proudly worn on members lapels consists of a gold letter “L” on a circular purple field bordered with two Lion profiles at either side, facing away from the center. The word “LIONS” appears at the top, and “INTERNATIONAL” appears at the bottom. This is symbolic of the proud past and confident future of Lions. Purple stands for loyalty to friends and ones self, and for integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgment, purity in life and generosity toward humanity in mind, heart, and purpose.
The Lions Clubs International mission statement is: “To create and foster understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by provided voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation”.
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and code of ethics were approved.
Among the objects adopted in those early years was one that read, "No club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object." This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association's main tenets.
Just three years after its formation, the association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and '60s.
In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." From this time, Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and visually impaired.
Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.
In 1990, Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation effort, SightFirst. The US$143.5 million program strives to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting desperately needed health care services.
In addition to sight programs, Lions Clubs International is committed to providing services for youth. Lions clubs also work to improve the environment, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes education, conduct hearing programs and, through their foundation, provide disaster relief around the world.
-taken from Lions Club International web site: http://www.lionsclubs.org
The primary program of the Lions Club was formulated after a challenge issued by Helen Keller at the 1925 Lions Clubs International Convention for members to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”. In 1990, Lions launched there most aggressive sight preservation campaign to date, SightFirst . Through the SightFirst program, Lions have extended there commitment to sight conservation, as well as through countless local efforts. Program expenditures of more then $130 million strive to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by closing the gap between existing health care services and those still desperately needed.
Lions provide over 600,000 free professional glaucoma screenings and make 20,000 corneal transplants possible each year. They establish and support a majority of the worlds eye banks, hundreds of clinics, hospitals, and eye research centers worldwide. They provide thousands with free quality eye care, eyeglasses, Braille-writers, large-print textbooks, white canes, and guide dogs. Lions also collect more than 3 million pairs of used eyeglasses each year for distribution in developing countries.
In addition to Vision programs, Lions Clubs International has also adopted the following health related programs:
Diabetes-Introduced in 1984, Lions became involved in Diabetes Education and Awareness programs because Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of Blindness in individuals ages 20-74. November is Lions Diabetes Education Month.
Hearing –Also given to the Lions as a charge in Helen Kellers famous speech, the Lions help those who are deaf as well as those who are blind. In 2003-2004, Lions donated more than $43 million dollars and volunteered more than 292,000 hour to service related projects for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired.
The mission of the Lions Opportunities for Youth is: “To provide the young people of the world with opportunities for achievement, learning, contribution and service, individually and collectively, through sponsorship of activities identified as best practices in the field of youth development”.
These programs include: Leo Club Program International Peace Poster Contest Lions International Youth Camp Program Lions International Youth Exchange Program
Descriptions of these programs are available at : http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/youth_index.shtml
Since Lions clubs were established, Lions have been dedicated to giving back to their communities. Lions clubs provide parks, playgrounds, senior centers, medical assistance for those in need, as well as many other services to their communities.
Lions remain committed to improving the lives of those less fortunate, around the world and at home.
The Cloverdale Lions Club was chartered (granted permission from the organization to form a local chapter) on February 10, 1951. There were 51 Charter Members. This is a significant amount for a town of, at the time, 2000 citizens. The first President was Mr. Thomas Cooper. Although their are no original, or founding, members still on our roster, there are several people in our club that have been in it for over fourty of it's 52 years. Those men are : Lion Merritt Field (d.), Lion Frank Rose, Lion Mario Michelon, and Lion Bob Anderson. We have a large list of many members with 20 years of service as well.
Men only of majority age and in good standing in the community were allowed to join the Lions Club at the time of charter. Since 1980, Lions International has allowed women to join the club, with our club remaining fraternal.
On June 10th, 1978, Cloverdale Lions Club became host to the Century 100 Lions Club of Cloverdale. The club got it’s name because it was the 100th club in District 4-C2, our district. This club dissolved in February of 1994, and one member transferred to the Host Club. That member, thankfully, was Fred Besio, one of our most outstanding contributors.
On June 28th, 1986, The Cloverdale Lions Club became Host to the Roaring 20’s Lioness Club of Cloverdale. While now defunct, this club was a womens branch of the Host.
The Lions Club, on the local level, is the most important part of “Lionism”. It is the individual clubs which carry out the programs and activities that have made the Lions Clubs International the largest and most active service organization in the world.
It is important to attend as many Club meetings as you are able, strive for perfect attendance. Our meetings are the link between the Board of Directors and our general membership. Here you will find out what is going on regarding projects, activities, and general get-togethers. A huge part of Lionism in Cloverdale is the camaraderie that our membership shares. Come join in the fun!
The Cloverdale Lions Club meets every Thursday (with the exception of part of summer) evening at the Veterans Memorial Building located on the corner of First Street and Commercial Street in Cloverdale. No-host cocktails are available from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Dinner is served directly after the President has called the meeting to order. Be aware of any guests that may be at the meeting, be sure to introduce yourself, and never let them get behind you in line (guests eat first). Event reports and club business are discussed following dinner. If there happens to be a guest speaker, they are introduced before club business.
As the newest member of the Cloverdale Lions Club, it is your honor to wear the “bib”. The bib is worn by all new Lions (we all did it) until a new member is inducted, or until you complete the steps to become a “Proud Lion” . The bib must be worn to every meeting, and must be clean. In the event that you are fined, your sponsor pays the fine for you for the first month. Is this correct??? The purpose of the bib is not to humiliate, it is to encourage new members to bring in prospective members and introduce them to Lions.
If there are guests at a meeting, Introductions will take place directly after dinner. All Lions are required to stand (we are always required to stand when we address the President) and state the following: “I am Baby Lion your name, and I have no guests”. In the event that you have a guest, you must introduce them, and typically we tell the club what they do.
Failure to know the name of a guest seated to your RIGHT or introduce yourself as Baby Lion will result in a fine.
Once a year the Lion Secretary collects dues from the membership. Dues are yearly, and at the time of this writing, they are $100. If you join in mid-year, dues are pro-rated according to the months left until collection time in January. It is encouraged that you pay your dues in a timely manner.
Dues are used to pay the clubs administrative costs. A portion of the yearly dues is paid to Lions Clubs International for each member of the club for the year. The Lion International Newsletter is included in your membership dues.
Each member of the club is responsible for prepairing a dinner to be served at a meeting according to a schedule prepaired by the Club Secretary. The schedule is handed in June (the beginning of the “Club Year”) and also at the Clubs Website: www.cloverdalelions.com/cooking.html It is a safe bet to cook for 40, as our meetings have expanded to this size at the time of this writing. Also, be sure to ask the Club Secretary if there are any guests scheduled because that will add to your total number. You dinner costs may total $170 when you prepare dinner, and your receipts can be given to the Club Treasurer for reimbursement.
If you are unable to cook on the night you are scheduled, it is your responsibility to find a replacement to cook for you. At first, the task of cooking for fourty may seem daunting, but there are many club members that can help. You may recruit as large a “crew” as you need, and simply asking for help will probably get you more then you need.
The cost of dinner at club meetings is $10. Before the meeting, the Lion Tamer collects the money for dinner, raffle, and drinks near the door. If you bring a guest, it is your responsibility to make sure they have been paid for as well.
Soft drinks, mixed drinks, wine, and beer are also available at club meetings. Each drink is $1.25, and you must buy chips from the Lion Tamer to get them. The bar does not collect money and regardless of type, all drinks cost one chip.
Two raffles are also held at each meeting, tickets for which can be purchased from the Lion Tamer as well. Participation in the raffle costs $2 and the prizes awarded are “Fine Free” (we will get to that shortly) and a free dinner at the next meeting.
At each meeting the Tail Twister adds a bit of fun (depending how you look at it) to the proceedings by assessing and collecting fines. Fines are assessed for arriving late, improperly addressing another Lion (we use Lion as a prefix for all names during the meeting), not having your name tags, bad jokes, becoming a father or grandfather, having a birthday, not standing to speak to the President, buying a new vehicle, being in the news paper (without wearing Lions attire), talking out of turn, or any number of similar infractions. Fines range from a dollar up to 20 dollars depending on the severity of infraction.
Recently we have added a siren to the fine jar. This siren is an automatic $10 fine if it is sounded, and it can be sounded for disrupting a meeting or throwing any sort of projectile.
While fining tends to be fairly open, there are a few clear-cut rules to follow to not be fined:
OK, that ought to keep you out of trouble.
The Lions Club likes to give out awards, and we give out several at our yearly Officers Induction Dinner. Here are some of them:
In addition to these awards, each President has a unique way of awarding members who have chaired events, or risen above the call of duty. These may be given at meetings or at the end of the year at the Presidents discression.
Your Board of Directors are the Clubs ELECTED Officers. They are the executive body of the association and exercise general management and control over its business and funds in a manner which is acceptable to the general membership.
A committee of Past Presidents meets to nominate delegates for the incoming Board of Directors. The committee then presents nominations to the membership at the first of three election meetings. The delegates can at this point either accept or decline nomination, and the committee will also accept nominations from the floor. At the third meeting, which is in the end of May or beginning of June, an election is held and the Lions with the most votes moves into the Board position.
President
Lion Doug Laurice
The President of the Club is the Clubs chief executive officer. He presides over the weekly meeting and board meetings; issues the call for regular meetings and special meetings of The Board of Directors; appoints administrative committees and cooperates with chairmen of these committees; sees that regular elections are duly called, noticed, and held; and is an active member of the District Governor’s Advisory Committee of our region (Region 2, Zone 1 of District 4C-2). His name is on the bank records enabling him to sign checks for Club business.
First Vice President
Lion Ken Richardson
The first Vice President conducts the meetings in the absence of the President. He assists the President in any way necessary to keep the Club business in order. He assumes the duties of the President in the event the President is unable to complete his term. Under the direction of the President, he oversees the functions of the committees designated by the President
Second Vice President
Lion Chris Vine
The Second Vice President conducts meetings and club business in the absence of the President and the First Vice President
Third Vice President
Lion Ken Roux
The Third Vice President conducts meetings and Club business in the absence of the President and First and Second Vice Presidents. He is also in charge of the clubs Phone Tree.
Secretary
Lion Fred Besio
Assistant- Lion Dave Laurice
The Club Secretary is one of the most important officers in the Club. He is responsible for keeping the minutes of each meeting and reporting any correspondence to the President and other Board members. He must also keep accurate attendance records of each meeting and report these to the Lions Club International on the monthly Membership and Activities Report. This report records all new members, total current membership, and any members removed from the club, as well as club activities and time donated by membership. All Club correspondence is carried on through the Secretary. The Secretary is also on the Clubs bank records, enabling him to sign checks for Club business. He is an active member of the District Governor’s Advisory Committee of our region (Region 2, Zone 1 of District 4C-2).
The Secretary is also essential to the general membership because he keeps the records that will determine all the Member Awards. When a member serves on a committee or project, the Club Secretary records this information on his individual record.
Treasurer
Lion Jerry Spitzer
The Club Treasurer is responsible for all financial transactions of the Club. He pays all bills approved by the Board of Directors, makes all deposits of revenues collected at meetings and from projects. He accurately records all revenues and disbursements for the Club and signs Club checks. He must be careful to record all community project funds into the Community account and all administrative funds into the Administrative account. The Administrative account must never use Community funds to defray administrative expenses.
Lion Tamer
Lion Jeremy Jojola
The Lion Tamer is the custodian of Club property. The Club property consists of the Gavel, the Bell, The US Flag and Club Banner, as well as the podium. The Tamer sets out property before each meeting. In addition to these duties, the Tamer also collects money for dinner, drink tokens, and the raffle before each meeting. This money is recorded and turned into the Treasurer for accounting.
Tail Twister
Lion David Gill
The Tail Twister is the person that assesses and collects fines from the membership. The fines collected are also turned over to the Treasurer. While the Tail Twister adds an element of fun to the meeting, he is also there to help keep order among the membership.
Immediate Past President
Lion Dave Laurice
The Immediate Past President assists the President as needed in Club business. He acts as an Advisor to the President, and is responsible for the Installation of New Officers Dinner.
Two Year Directors
Lion JT
Lion Jeff Moganumm
All Directors serve a two year term on the Board
One Year Directors
Lion Jim Gunnink
Lion Norm Pardini
Directors in their second year of service
Membership Retention
Lion Chuck Sibert
Lion Sam Beeson
Lion Jerry Spitzer
The Membership Retention Committee is responsible for keeping members in the Club. They are also responsible for explaining Lionism to prospective and or new members. The Retention Committee also plans and arranges visitations to other Clubs.
The Board of Directors meets at 7:30 the first Tuesday of the month, at a pre-determined home of a Board member, as decided at the previous meeting. If in doubt where the meeting is, contact any of the Board Members and they will let you know. There phone numbers can be found at : www.cloverdalelions.com/officers.html Club business is conducted at these Board meetings and a quorum of 7 Board members is needed to vote on propositions.
The President presides over the Board meeting, the Secretary reads minutes from the last Board meeting, and the Treasurer gives a financial accounting for members. All old and new business are discussed, as well as new proposals heard.
All members of the Club are invited to these meetings, but only Board members have a vote at them. The meetings are usually an hour to an hour and a half a long. Meetings are followed by desert.
The Cloverdale Lions Club participates in many projects throughout the year. It gives me great pride to write this section into our website, because as I map it out I realize I will have to create an entire subdirectory for the projects, and four more pages of code. While that sounds like work, it is great to know that we can fill that much space with what we do. Anyway, to see how the Lions contribute to the community of Cloverdale, please follow the link at the bottom of this page.
