The Lions Blog

Announcing the three finalists in the Lions Clubs International 2013 World of Service Awards Best Reading Action Program Rap Video. You can vote by clicking “Like” on Facebook and/or YouTube now through Friday, May 3. Click on the links below to view and vote for your favorite video!

• St. Marta San Pedro Alejandrino Lions Club: Facebook and YouTube
• Medan Fine Arts Lions Club: Facebook and YouTube
• Brussels Cooperation & Da Vinci Lions Clubs: Facebook and YouTube

The winner will be announced during the Second Plenary Session of the 2013 Lions Clubs International Convention in Hamburg, Germany on the morning of Monday, July 8.

A special thanks to all of the clubs that participated!

In addition to the environmental service projects that your Lions club has planned for this month, you can participate in April’s Protecting Our Environment global service action campaign at home and at work by making small, simple changes in your everyday life.

Here are 25 easy ways to go green!

1. Organize a work/school carpool in your neighborhood.
2. Use reusable cloth napkins instead of disposable paper napkins.
3. Don’t toss your old LION Magazines! Donate them to your local library or doctor’s offices.
4. Schedule your errands back-to-back to conserve gas.
5. Submit your club reports online through MyLCI.
6. Swap your paper lunch bag with a reusable insulated lunch tote.
7. Repair that leaky faucet.
8. Bring your own travel mug to fill at coffee shops.
9. Start a compost pile in your backyard.
10. Switch to paperless billing statements and pay your bills online.
11. Purchase a water filter and a reusable water bottle instead of buying cases of plastic disposable water bottles.
12. Throw your groceries in reusable bags instead of plastic bags.
13. Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot.
14. Ride your bike to work.
15. Save paper by printing on both sides. Give scrap paper to your kids for coloring.
16. Line dry your laundry.
17. Use rain barrels to collect rainwater for your lawn and garden.
18. Switch to cloth diapers.
19. Repurpose glass jars as food storage containers.
20. Decrease your use of paper towels by turning old T-shirts into cleaning rags.
21. Turn off your computer every night.
22. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
23. Buy an energy efficient appliance.
24. Support local green businesses.
25. Buy rechargeable batteries and dispose of old batteries properly.

Do you have any green tips to add?

One of the most effective ways to use Facebook to promote your club’s community volunteer work is to share photos. Compelling images on your Facebook page catch people’s attention more than blocks of text, so be sure the photos you post really say something about your club.

Here are some tips for posting photos on your Lions Facebook page:

• Show Lions in action. Staged “grip-and-grin” photos that simply show Lions presenting a check to a local organization are not as interesting as photos that show Lions “doing.” Bring a camera to your next Lions project or event, and show how your Lions are out in the community truly making a difference. Interesting snapshots include Lions working hard at a community service project, Lions and Leos volunteering side by side, or Lions getting involved at local fairs, markets or shows.
• Promote local activities. Be sure to give a shout-out to other local organizations and businesses that you work with in your community. If your next Lions meeting is at a favorite pizza place in your neighborhood, take a photo and mention/tag the restaurant in your photo.
• Feature a great cover photo. The cover photo at the top of your Facebook page is your opportunity to show off the Lions brand and tell everyone what your club is all about. If you’re posting a group photo, try to make sure everyone is wearing Lions apparel and is doing something active and fun. Incorporate the Lions logo into your cover photo as best you can.
• Choose your photos wisely. Don’t post an entire album of images that show essentially the same shot. You may have taken hundreds of photos at your event, but that doesn’t mean you have to post them all. If you’re creating an album, choose 10 to 15 different photos to post. Or you can just post one photo that really captures your project well.
• Provide a descriptive caption. Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean the viewer will know exactly what he or she is looking at with a simple glance. Describe what you’re doing, where you’re doing it and why. Explain how your project is serving the community and helping others.
• Share other Lions photos. If you don’t have many pictures of your own club to post, then share other Lions photos. Check out the Lions Clubs International Facebook page for interesting photos, and share them to your own page. And if your club has a great project with interesting images, you might see it shared on the Lions Clubs Facebook page!

More Facebook tips and info:

• How to Set Up a Facebook Page
• Facebook Tip: Connect with Organizations
• Video: Learn How Lions Use Facebook

 Do you have any tips for sharing photos on Facebook?

Being a Lion is more than just providing volunteer work to your local community – although that’s a big part of it. Being a Lion also means leading others, working as a team, communicating, planning, improving and achieving results.

Lions Clubs International provides free online courses at the Lions Learning Center in order to help Lions develop these skills, so you have the know-how and resources needed to serve to the best of your ability. Lions Learning Center courses are broken into the following categories:

• Leadership. Courses include an Intro to Lions Leadership that defines leadership and different leadership styles; a Creativity course that helps you plan new projects and create new ideas; and Servant Leadership, which takes you on a journey of self-discovery to develop new personal skills.
• Managing Others. These courses include Coaching, Conflict Resolution, Delegation, Effective Teams, Motivation and Valuing Member Diversity. Learn how to foster and manage a club environment that is positive and results-driven.
• Achieving Results. Choose from Setting Goals, Decision Making, Managing Meetings and Providing Community Service. Help make your club successful in serving others by setting and achieving personal and professional goals.
• Communication. Learn how to communicate better through courses such as Effective Listening, Public Speaking and Public Relations. Make sure your Lions club is heard, and that your goals, services and stories are shared effectively.

Visit the Lions Learning Center to learn more and register for a course.

Are you attending the 2013 Lions International Convention in Hamburg on July 5 – 9? Be sure to check out the Social Media Lounge, which will be held inside the main Exhibit Hall at the Hamburg Messe all week long. At the Social Media Lounge, you’ll be able to get hands-on assistance setting up a Facebook or Twitter account and using these social media sites to promote your club’s services.

If you’re already social-media savvy, then use your skills to help other Lions get connected. Sign up to volunteer with the SMiLe (Social Media including Lions Everywhere) team at the convention!

Social media is a great way to not only connect with your club’s members, but also to reach out to your community and to the world. Let everyone know about the local volunteer opportunities that your club provides, and how you’re making an impact every day.

In addition to the Social Media Lounge, there will be several different seminars at the convention to help you get started. Check out the entire list of convention seminars and activities.

What is your favorite social media site for promoting your Lions club?