We are very saddened by the tragic tornado disaster in Moore, Oklahoma. Rest assured, the Lions are doing their part with the recovery efforts and will be there as members of the community for the long-term rebuilding efforts.

There are several thousand Lions in eastern Oklahoma, and the Lions of the world will be there to support them in this time of great need.

Right now, we are sending a Major Catastrophe Grant of US$100,000 from LCIF’s disaster relief fund. This grant will support Lions in affected areas to immediately begin providing aid to those in need, such as food, water, clothing and medical supplies.

We are also providing emergency grants to assist with other destructive storms that have impacted parts of the USA in recent days.

The community of Moore, and all the Lions Club members in the area, need our support today to help their neighbors.

You can help by contributing to the disaster relief fund of Lions Clubs International Foundation. Donations to this fund are Melvin Jones Fellowship eligible and help Lions.

We will keep you updated as needs are more fully known, now and for as long as it takes.

Sincerely,

Wayne A. Madden                                       Wing-Kun Tam

International President                               Chairperson, LCIF

Posting videos on your club’s Facebook page is a wonderful way to share your Lions club’s story and let your community know how you’re making an impact. Follow our tips to make sure your videos are engaging viewers and effectively promoting your club’s local community service.

• Post a short video clip of your Lions club event or project from your mobile device. Smart phones and tablets with video recording capabilities make it easy to take a quick video at your club’s project or event and post it directly to your Facebook page. You can create a video through the Facebook mobile app the same way you would take a photo: Tap the Photo button, then tap the camera icon to take a photo. Once the camera is on, you can swipe from camera to video camera on the bottom left of the screen.
• Post videos of Lions in action. For example, planting trees or cleaning up a local beach; dancing at a Strides: Lions for Diabetes Awareness event; or helping rebuild a home. Lions and community members who visit your page want to see how your club is making a positive impact, and what’s in store for them if they decide to join.
• Post videos from the Lions Clubs International website or Facebook page. Check out the Lions News Network for the latest Lions Quarterly video magazine, fun PSAs that help promote your club (watch the video above for a PSA that focuses on Lions feeding the hungry), and videos that feature Lions around the world serving their communities. You can also access Lions videos on YouTube, or check out what we’re posting on our Facebook page and share on your own page.

Other things to consider…

• Don’t post a long video that will only be interesting to a small group of people. Most people don’t want to see a video of an entire club meeting, or of Lions setting up for an event, or of a long awards ceremony. Viewers will likely stop a video after three or so minutes, so keep videos short and sweet.
• Be sure to add a description of your video. Tell viewers where you are, what you’re doing, how you’re helping the community, and how they can get involved.

Do you have any tips for posting videos on Facebook?

The Gujrat Young Fellows Lions Club in Pakistan recently held a street art competition. The event brought community members together to help improve and beautify the city.

Fun, unique community projects such as this one are a great way to get the word out about your Lions club and invite people of all ages to become involved.

What upcoming Lions project are you most excited for?

Check out how Lions around the world are making headlines by serving their communities.

• TEXAS, USA:  80-year-old Lion skydives for the first time to help fundraising efforts for the League City Lions Club.

• CANADA:  Fairmont Lions Club are getting ready to open new community center.

• GHANA:  Ghana Lions Club organizes free ear screenings for Cape Coast students.

• UNITED KINGDOM:  Witney Lions Club’s first Music Festival fundraising event was a big success.

• WASHINGTON, USA:  Local Lions preparing Flags for First Graders event for over 6,000 area students.

• ZAMBIA:  Kasenshi Lions Club providing free medical screenings to low-income residents.

Has your Lions club been featured in the local news recently? Share your story!

New members join Lions clubs to participate in local volunteer work that serves the community. In order to keep your members satisfied, it’s important to align your club activities with your community’s needs.

Assess your club and your community through these valuable options:

• Use the How Are Your Ratings? survey to obtain feedback from your members. Find out what matters most to your members, and identify your club’s strengths and weaknesses. This survey also helps identify small problems before they become larger issues.

• Conduct a Community Needs Assessment to identify any unmet needs within your community. Organize your projects to help meet these needs. Service projects that have a direct positive impact on your community can help encourage other community members to join Lions club.

• Participate in the Club Excellence Process (CEP), a fun, interactive workshop that helps your club develop goals and create action plans to achieve them.

How does your Lions club identify and meet the needs of your community?