Message from International President Sid Scruggs

It takes time to make a Lion. Certainly all Lions, even the newest, share in the same privileges and responsibilities as every other Lion, but to really understand what it means to be a Lion -- that takes time.

Even experienced Lions sometimes underestimate the value of our service. That is not true of the people we serve. They fully understand the value of what we do and they will tell us about it if we listen with open hearts.

I can still remember hearing the words, "We can always count on you Lions," when my home club in North Carolina delivered holiday packages to families in need of food. I recall the gratitude of elderly people who received a flu vaccine at the annual health fair my club organized and I will never forget the joy on the face of a child who received her first pair of eyeglasses from a Lion. These were some of the most rewarding experiences of my life and they taught me what it really means to be a Lion.

It is our job as Lion leaders to ensure that all Lions have opportunities to experience the rewards of service. That feeling of accomplishment and connection to another human life is our "secret weapon" in the effort to build and retain our membership. The more moments like those that we provide to our members, the more satisfying their Lions experience will be. And satisfied members are the best ambassadors our clubs can have. They will surely attract other people of good will who are seeking the rewards of service that only membership in a Lions Club can provide.

The next Global Service Action Campaign will provide many opportunities for the kind of one-to-one interaction I have been describing. Please do all you can to ensure that as many Lions as possible participate in Relieving the Hunger, scheduled for December and January.

Thank you for all you do.

Best wishes,
Sid L. Scruggs III
International President