Message from International President Sid Scruggs to Lion Leaders August 2010

Message from International President Sid SMessage from Intrnational PresideMessage from International President Sid Scruggs to Lion Leaders August 2010 nt Sid Scruggs to Lion Leaders August 2010 cruggs to Lion Leaders August 2010 Dear Lion Leaders, Do you remember the reason you first became a Lion?  If you are like most Lions it was because you saw people in need and wanted to serve.  This year I am asking you and all Lions to rededicate yourselves -- individually and personally -- to that ideal of service. That is what being a Beacon of Hope is all about.  Each individual Lion and every Lions Club around the world is a shining light for someone in need.  However, it is not only those we serve who need to see our light.  When we shine as brightly as possible we send a signal to the entire community that Lions are active and that the local Lions Club is the place to be for likeminded individuals who also wish to serve. There are many ways to be a Beacon of Hope and I hope that every Lions Club will have a signature service activity.  In developing or expanding these signature activities, I urge you to be innovative, be responsive and meet the urgent needs unique to your community.  I also hope that you will join in the Global Service Action Campaigns that will unify our service and raise our visibility throughout the world.  I am pleased to tell you that the new Beacon Awards have been established to recognize excellence in participation in these campaigns. Please read below about these awards and all the exciting ways in which Lions around the world are coming together in service. Then take the steps needed to make your club, your district and yourselves a Beacon of Hope for all to see! Thank you for all you do as a leader of Lions. Best wishes, Sid L. Scruggs III International President Beacon of Hope Highlights Service Commitment Pledge Campaign Declare your commitment to Lions ideal of service and invite fellow Lions to do the same!  Join President Scruggs in pledging to "support and participate in your Lions club's service activities and to make a difference in someone's life this year."  Add your name to the growing list of members who know that their personal efforts can bring light where there is darkness and despair, and that by working together, Lions can have a huge impact on the entire world. Sign the  Pledge now! Global Service Action Campaigns Shine a Light on Youth This month Lions around the world are focusing on including young people in service and meeting the needs of youth in thousands of ways including painting playgrounds, providing care packages for children's hospitals, collecting school supplies for children who have none.  In addition to shining a light on youth, be sure to shine a light on Lions!  Publicize your activity in the community and invite potential members to participate.  Read further for Engaging our Youth publicity materials and tips. Next Campaign: Sharing the Vision Lions have long been key players in the worldwide effort to end preventable blindness.  In October we will reaffirm our commitment to the cause and reinforce our status as irreplaceable leaders in the field.  By organizing vision screenings, organizing eyeglass collections and participating in activities to aid the visually impaired, Lions will show that we are unwavering in the commitment we made in 1925 when Helen Keller challenged us to "hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided." For more information on planning your participation visit our Global Service Action Campaings Web page or contact the Service Activities Division at International Headquarters. On the Horizon October has traditionally been the month for Lions Clubs to focus on membership growth.  Recognizing that the opportunity to serve directly and meaningfully is the best recruitment tool, this October Lions will be asked to recommit to the idea of success through service.  Watch the Lions Clubs International Web site for more information on October Membership Growth Month.