You're One in a Million...well...1.4 Million that is!
Lions club members are men and women who strive to make a difference in their local community as well as communities worldwide. Their volunteer efforts go beyond the support of vision care, to addressing unmet health and education needs worldwide.
Why should I become a Lion? As a Lions club member, you can:
- Make a difference in your community. Whether it is providing support locally or reaching out internationally, you will have an opportunity to serve.
- Be a part of a worldwide organization carrying out community and humanitarian projects. Members allow Lions clubs worldwide to carry out its many community and humanitarian programs.
- Grow personally and professionally by participating in our programs, community service projects and events.
- Gain an understanding and have an impact on local and international humanitarian issues.
- Develop relationships with both local and international community and business leaders.
Choose the Membership That's Right for You
Lions clubs are composed of diverse people in communities in nearly every corner of the world. That's why we offer you several ways to become a Lion – and serve. Lions clubs offer volunteer programs for college students, kids, adults and families. Please consider the types of memberships below, then fill out the form on the right for more information and to begin.
- Regular Membership: Are you interested in volunteer programs, community service and making our world a better place? Lions Clubs International (LCI) offers community members the opportunity to volunteer locally together as a group. Members are expected to meet membership requirements such as dues set by the club and LCI. Take the first step toward membership today – contact a local club and ask to be invited to a meeting.
- Family Membership: Looking for special volunteer programs and activities you can do with your family? Family membership allows relatives to volunteer together at a reduced dues rate. Family members must meet membership requirements, live in the same household and belong to the same club. Children cannot become members, but can participate in the Cub Program, which allows children under age 12 the opportunity to build a lifelong dedication to helping others. If more than one member of your family is joining a club, tell them you want to join as a family unit.
- Student Membership: Our student volunteer programs allow you to make new friends – and help others in your community at the same time. With a student membership, your dues are reduced. If you are enrolled in an educational institution and between the age of legal majority and 30, tell the club you are joining that you would like to take advantage of the Student Member Program dues discount.
- Leo The Lion Membership: If you are a current or former Leo club member between the age of legal majority and through age 30, take the opportunity to receive a dues discount and continue doing volunteer work with Lions Clubs International ... as a Lion!
- Volunteer Programs: For more membership information, contact our Membership and New Club Programs Department
"To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation."
Lions Clubs International Purpose:
- To Organize, charter and supervise service clubs to be known as Lions clubs.
- To Coordinate the activities and standardize the administration of Lions clubs.
- To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.
- To Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.
- To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.
- To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.
- To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.
- To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors.
Lions Clubs Code of Ethics:
- To Show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.
- To Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.
- To Remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another's; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.
- Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.
- To Hold friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
- Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, and to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.
- To Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
- To Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.
After sponsorship by the Rehoboth Beach Lions Club, the Dewey Beach Lions Club was founded on March 16, 1951. Much like the town we reside in, the Dewey Beach Lions Club has a very colorful past.
For many years, members of the club helped a local land settler by the name of Johnnie Waples. Quite the local character of Dewey Beach, John would spend his summers renting boats in the Rehoboth Bay, while during the winter, he would work for the State of Delaware tracking tides. When John became ill, many of the members took care of him on a daily basis, ensuring that John received proper medical care, food, friendship and other necessary items.
After John’s passing, his parcel of land was passed to the Lions through his will with the stipulation that the Dewey Beach Lions Club always maintain a playground for the children. Over the many years since John’s passing, many fundraisers have taken place to cover the cost for the construction for and maintenance of the John Waples Memorial Playground.
Some of these include regular events such Barbecue Dinners, Clam Bakes and Oyster Eats as well as specialty events like wrestling matches, horse shows and light bulb sales.
Operation Santa began in the 1950’s and at that time was held at The Bottle & Cork. This event regularly saw two to three hundred local children who would each receive dinner as well as gifts from Santa. Today this remains a major event for the Dewey Beach Lions Club. Each year a list of local needy children is compiled and the Lions spend an evening shopping for gifts. Later, Lions and their guests gather to sort and wrap the gifts for the children. These are then distributed through the local schools.
For many years, members of the Dewey Beach Lions Club helped a local land squatter by the name of John Waples. Quite the local character of Dewey Beach, John would spend his summers renting boats in the Rehoboth Bay, while during the winter, he would work for the State of Delaware tracking tides. When John became ill, many of the members took care of him on a daily basis, ensuring that John received proper medical care, food, friendship and other necessary items. In return for this kindness, John left approximately 5 acres of land to the Dewey Beach Lions Club in his will.
The John Waples will is posted on the Club House wall between the Melvin Jones recognition plaques for Charles Simes and John Waples. Erwin “Dicky” Seimes (was also the first president of the Dewey Beach Lions Club when it was founded in 1951) witnessed the signature of John Waples will. After John’s passing, his parcel of land was passed to the Lions through his will with the stipulation that the main condition of his will – that the Dewey Beach Lions Club provide a “Playground for the Children” – be carried out.
Over the many years since John’s passing, many fundraisers took place to cover the cost of the construction and maintenance of the John Waples Memorial Playground. Today, The John Waples Memorial Playground is the foundation of our club.
In addition, the Dewey Beach Lions Club help start the first Dewey Beach Lifeguard Patrol which is still in full operation for approx 60 years. Simes owned a small general store in Dewey Beach where he would store the Dewey Beach Patrols emergency equipment for them.
Note: Information collected from Charles McKinney – a former Dewey Beach Lion member back in the 1950’s.
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