This year’s Leo Day Video Contest theme invites you to share how #LeosCollaborate with Lions in your community! Today’s guest post comes from Leo Club Charter President Cady Mariano and her advisor, Lion Lee, from San Diego, California. These Leos regularly collaborate with their sponsoring Lions club to put on some impressive projects, ranging from Leo-led summer camps to food drives benefiting more than 600 people. Read how these San Diego Leos worked with their Lions to host powerful projects!
Tell us a little about yourselves.
Leo Cady: My name is Cady Mariano, and I am the charter president of the San Diego United Leos Club. I have been involved with Lions for the past seven years, founding our first Cubs club in 2012 and Leo club in 2015. I am in my junior year of high school, and in my free time, I enjoy dancing, singing and acting.
Lion Lee: My name is Lee Mariano, and I am honored to be the Leo Club Advisor for the San Diego United Leo Club.
How do you encourage leadership in your Leo club?
Lion Lee: We encourage all Leos to find service projects that they are passionate about. Our Leos have stepped up into leadership roles and have coordinated many successful fundraisers, including some with our own Lions club.
Leo Cady: We have 24 Leos in our club and average around 25 projects a year. As a leader in my club, I’ve had the opportunity to plan and run numerous events, develop my skills in managing schedules and volunteers, design marketing materials and brainstorm new and creative ideas for increased engagement. Our Leo club has raised more than $28,000, benefiting over 20 charities, including $10,250 to LCIF last year for victims of the hurricanes.
How do you collaborate with Lions and Leos?
Leo Cady: We regularly collaborate with our sponsoring Lions in the San Diego United Lions club on all kinds of events. We’ve played a big role in their fundraisers and service projects with one of our favorites being a care package assembly project for military families. In turn, we receive their advice and support for our projects. Together, we’ve coordinated our food and toy drives, summer camps and beach clean ups serving more than 600 families. We have so much fun helping each other out at our events.
Lion Lee: For the past two years, the Leos have planned and taught a summer camp for kids from homeless and low income families in conjunction with the Lions Club’s “Camp Jack.” The Leos used their own skills and talents to teach classes in dancing, singing, piano, taekwondo, drawing, gymnastics, soccer, basketball and others. It was great to have the Leos bring their fresh, new ideas to the event as they see things in a whole new light.
How do Leos and Lions inspire you?
Leo Cady: I’m inspired by Lions because of how they dedicate their lives to service. We appreciate all the support and guidance they have given us, and are honored to be a part of their events. We hope we have made them proud.
Lion Lee: The Leo’s unique service projects and tireless efforts continue to inspire me. I have seen their passion shine through in their countless projects, from sandwich making and hygienic boxes construction for homeless, their ingenuity to use their own talents to teach at the summer camp, and their excitement to help animal shelters and make animal toys. It inspires me to invest more as a Lion. I have truly learned so much and am very proud of them all.
Share your stories about Leos and Lions working together! Submissions for the Leo Day Video Contest are due November 1, 2018. Winners will be announced on International Leo Day on December 5 and will receive a cash prize of up to $1,000.
