"WHEN DID YOU BECOME A LION?"

In the last issue of "The Lion" I read an article that got me to thinking about when I became a Lion. I joined the Belvidere Lions Club in 1994. The key word in that sentance is "joined". Yes, I joined the Lions Club in the spring of 1994. I joined because my boss at work asked me to join! I knew several people that were members of the club and I thought that it would be interesting to belong to a community service organization. I had never belonged to a service club before and, I did not know what I was getting into at the time. I had heard stories about some of the things that the lions did in the community but I really did not know anything about the organization.

First, let me tell you a little about my life, as a young boy, and why I was afraid to get involved. My father was a veteran of World War Two. He was stationed in the Phillipines most of the time and he contracted a skin disease while over there. After he finished his committment to the Army, he came home and later joined the Disabled American Veterans Organization. He became very involved with the DAV and spent most of his time with them. He soon became a chapter officer, moved on to state officer and then a national officer. He was gone a lot, with monthly meetings, projects etc.  Every year for his vacation, he went to the National Convention, instead of spending some time with his family. We kids, were shipped off to Grandma's house. Don't get me wrong,  we loved going to grandma's but, other kids were going on nice family vacations around the country. As I grew older I began to resent this. I believed that my father should be spending his free time with us and taking us on trips, like my friends. I vowed, to myself, that I would never do that to my children.

I realized, that my father was doing a lot of good for veterans in the community and around the country but, at the same time, it didn't matter because he was not doing things with us kids. I resented the fact that dad chose to spend his time helping others instead of being with us.

Well, I grew up, got married, went to work, started my own family and here I was, having to make a decision, join or not. Should I get involved like my father or should I keep my vow to, "Not get involved!" I felt the pressure to join, since it was my check signing boss that was asking me to join, so I agreed to give it a try. I joined. I was introduced to the members and I answered a few questions, I was given a pin for my collar and then as a club tradition, I was asked or instructed that, as part of my induction into membership, I was required to show my committment by drinking a glass of "Lions Milk". I couldn't drink the milk, due to medical reasons, and my sponsor had to drink it for me. That was it. I was now a member of The Lions Club.

I did not know anything more about lions other than what I was told the night I was inducted. I sat at the meetings trying to figure out what was going on and how I was going to fit in. I laughed with the other members when they were tailtwisted for their screw ups. I attended all the meetings, I watched, I listened, I laughed, I ate good meals, I had some good fellowship time, but I still did not know what I had joined. I was a Lion, or was I?

Well, it wasn't long, that same year in fact, that I was asked to join the board of directors. Wow! I am already a board member. I agreed to be a director for two years, but that didn't last very long as they were having a difficult time filling all the offices so I agreed to be a vice president. I was now a third vice and I hadn't even been a member for a full two years!

Things changed very quickly after that, because the Secretary was failing in health and would have to step down. I was interested in being the secretary, so I told the board I would take the Secretary office and the club said no, because they wanted me to be president first, then I could be secretary. Little did I know, at the time, once you become secretary, you are there for a very long time. I agreed to be president first, and my third year as a Lion began and I was leading the troops, I still did not know much about lions, other than the local projects we were doing, but I was their leader. I completed my year as president, and then I became the club secretary. I am still there eleven years later.

I had come a long way in a short period of time. But, had I become a Lion? I became involved on several committees, one being the Sight First committee. I was responsible for screening request for assistance in getting eye glasses for those that could not afford them. This was interesting and gave me a little meaning to being a lion. It wasn't until I had received a request, from a local resident, for some assistance for her blindness. This person was 80% blind and totally dependant on her husband. She wanted to be able to see again if possible and she came to me and asked if there was anything that we could do to help her. After some research, I found a company that sold reading assist units consisting of a video camera that attached to a tv, and magnified things making it possible for someone like her to see. I presented this to the board and they agreed to pay for the unit. I ordered the unit and made arrangements to have it delivered and installed in her home. I and several other Lions members, along with the newspaper, were present when the unit was set up and I watched, in awe, as this woman came alive.

For the very first time, in many years she was able to see photos of her grand children. She read a letter from a friend that could only be read to her by her husband, before now. She actually could see the handwriting on the page. She got her prescription bottle and was able to read the label and instructions. She could now take medications by herself. This grown woman began running around the house finding things, whe wanted to see. It was amazing. She was finally released from her dependancy, on her husband, to, being able to do things for herself. I thought to myself, this is what being a lion is all about. I finally got a glimpse of what it was all about.

I kept in contact with this woman on a monthly basis and each phone call brought something more astonishing that had opened up to her. About the sixth month, I called her, to see how she was doing, and she excitedly said to me, "guess what I did today?" I asked what, and she told me that she had actually threaded a needle that day. I was totally blown away. I personally have a difficult time threading a needle, and I have good eyesight but, here was a woman leagally blind threading a needle, and doing it while watching it on a tv. Surgeons do this kind of surgery, called micro-surgery, because it is done through a microscope. Imagine that, a blind woman threading a needle, and I, made it all possible, because I was a Lion.

It was that day, that I became a Lion. I joined the lions club several years earlier but I really became a Lion the day a blind woman threaded a needle. This was the day I developed a PASSION to SERVE!

*Of all the qualities a leader can have, passion is the most important. Passion, however, is something you can't fake. It starts in the soul and is fueled by belief that what you're doing is important. At 70, Jane Goodall is still a leader. She is the renowned primatologist who has spent her life working with chimpanzees and creating global awareness for the enviornment. When you ask her to sum up her reasons for success in her field. She simply says..."I love what I do, and it shows." Goodall's passion is reflected in these words: "Every day has to count. Every day, I want to learn something; every day I want to be inspired; every day, I want to inspire someone."

*Katherine Graham, longtime publisher for the Washington Post , said this, "To love what you do and feel that it matters...how could anything be more fun?"

I love what I do. I live my life with passion and I hope I have made a positive difference in many lives, not only in my community and this country, but around the world, because I am a Lion! 

When did you become a Lion? Are you a Lion or are you just a member of your club. It was on that day, I got the Passion to Serve, and I have been serving the passion ever since. It was on that day that I realized the passion that my father had about serving the veterans. It was on that day, I became proud of my father because of his passion to help disabled vets gain benefits and assistance available to them, that they knew nothing about. It was on that day a new respect for serving vision and hearing impaired people and the less fortunate, became a reality.

It is my hope that your reasons for joining the Lions club was one of "Becoming a Lion". Do you have the "Passion to Serve?" 

Are you a Lion?

I am and I will always be a Lion because of one lady and her desire to see again!

Story written and submitted by: Lion Bill Villont, Secretary, Belvidere Lions Club

*quote taken from "The Essence of Leadership" by Mac Anderson Founder of Successories.

If you enjoyed this story, and you are A LION, let us know about it. Write and tell us about the day you became a Lion. We would love to hear about your PASSION TO SERVE!