The benefits of Lions
club membership are numerous, and include:
The Lions Slogan
"Liberty,
Intelligence, Our,
Nation's,
Safety"
Lions Club International is the World's
largest service organization with Clubs around the world.
What is Lionism?
Aims and accomplishments of the Lions
The primary aim of the Lions is service:
first to the clubs own community, second to those in need wherever they may
be. Each year Lions clubs perform services and goods to thousands of persons
throughout the world.
The Dexter
Lions Are located in Dexter, Michigan, USA
The Dexter Lions are a group of men
dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or
half-way around the world. They are members of clubs organized in an
international organization. In addition to humanitarian service, they enjoy
fellowship and develop leadership qualities.
The Lions are
dedicated to be Knights Of The Blind as charged by Helen Keller early in the
20th century.
Diabetes, Drug awareness and
children's programs are a big part of the Lions Club interests.
The Dexter Lions Club feels our
first responsibility is to our local community. Yet we have enough resources
to support all state, national and international activities.
Although the Dexter Lions first
commitment is service to our local community and beyond, being a member of
the Dexter Lions is a personal commitment each of us makes with pride.
At Present we have 45 members
We have 4 major fund raising
projects each year.
1) The largest is Christmas Tree
sales. It is a lot of work but a lot of fun. We get out of the house in the
cold weather and no one is unhappy with a Christmas Tree.
2) Then comes the Fall Sports
Program. We sell ads and distribute the programs at the Dexter Home Football
games for a donation.
3) The Dexter Daze Food wagon would
be next. This provides us with a visible presence and raises money to helps
support the community.
4) And then we have White Cane
week. This is a national fund raiser for the Lions. We stand on the corners
in town and promote the White Cane laws and raise money, Most of the
money we raise is sent to the Leader Dog School in Rochester, Mich.
We also sell tickets and do gate
duty at the Dexter Home Football games and provide door security at the
Dexter Home Basketball Games. We also have many small projects and
activities throughout the year.
The Dexter Lions were formed March
22-1979 by (Gary Gould;
Dave Piper; Charlie StJohn) three men
wanting to help others as well as the community. They proceeded to recruit
more members, the original group totaled 40 members.
Lion Tom Damoch of
the Chelsea Lions was our guiding Lion for the first year to help get things
rolling in the right direction.
The first fund raiser was to go door to
door selling light bulbs,
then to ,Candy canes.
After that the idea of selling Christmas trees was started, and is still
going strong today.
Other fund raisers include:
*Selling adds for the Fall Sports Program Since 1984.
*Selling pavers bricks with your
name or the name of a loved one to be placed in the walk around the gazebo.
*Selling Nachos out of a small wagon at
Dexter Daze until 1989 when a larger and better wagon was built, we then
expanded to sell pizza, soft pretzels, pop, fries.
In 1989 washing 36 dogs was a way to
raise $472 for Leader Dog.
The Dexter Lions also donated
park benches in 1983 to Monument Park, and on August 10/1985 dedicated the
Gazebo, which was Probably our largest project, Lions Louie Ceriani, Richard
Dettling, and Don Poppenger were the driving force behind the project, it
was designed by U of M students as a class assignment and Kem Saxston was
the main builder that over saw the project.
In 1990 we started sponsoring the RFD
Boys at Dexter Daze.
May 25 - 1991 Was the final
dedication of the memorial Monument in Monument Park.
in 1997 a lawn tractor Painted in the U
of M colors was raffled.
In 1998 the Dexter Lions started
sponsoring the Pie Eating contest at Apple Daze
In 2000 the Dexter Lions assisted 14
families which were affected by a major sewer backup.
In 2002 the Dexter Lions helped to fund
a camera for the Fire Fighters to locate victims trapped in a fire,
Dexter Lions Club # 0000036796
The colors of purple
and gold were selected as the official colors of the association in
1917.
To Lions, purple
represents loyalty to country, friends, to one's self and to the
integrity of mind and heart. It is the color of strength, courage, and
dedication to a cause.
Gold symbolizes
sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgment, purity in life and
generosity in mind, heart and purse towards mankind.
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 Seeksuccess 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 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 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.
The current Lions
emblem, one of the most widely recognized and respected in the world, was
adopted at the 1919 convention. It consists of a gold letter "L" on a circular
purple (or blue) field. Bordering this is a circular gold area with two Lion
profiles facing away from the center, symbolizing our glorious past an a
promising future. The word "Lions" appears at the top. and "International" at
the bottom.
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 men to serve their community
without personal financial rewards, and to encourage efficiency and promote high
ethical standards in commerce, industry professions, public works and private
endeavors
Display your name or the name of a loved one in
a brick to be placed in the walk around the Gazebo in Down Town Dexter, for personal or monument
for the Military
No better way to plant your roots in Dexter.
Click here to obtain an order form for your brick.
personal -
Military
We are always looking
for new adds, If you are interested in advertising in our Sports Program. We
would appreciate your support. We print four sizes 1/8-$40 1/4-$55 1/2- $80
and Full-$110 page Adds, We print 600 copies each year, Programs are
published in mid August so they will be ready for the first home Football
game. If you are interested please contact us before August 1st. Due to the
rising cost of printing we are being forced to raise the prices, By selling
more Adds we can keep the prices low and continue to raise the funds to help
those in need. click here for a
contract form Please call the phone # on the contract if you have any
questions.
Prices may change due to rising
cost of printing
Giving
The best thing to give to
your enemy is forgiveness;
An opponent, tolerance;
A friend, your heart;
Your child, a good example;
Yourself, respect;
All men, charity;
Keep your face in the sunshine
and you cannot see the shadows.
Helen Keller
Photo courtesy of the American
Foundation for the Blind, Helen Keller Archives
I would like to add a page to our
webpage but I need your help.
What I would like to do is
create a page that shows the Flag from every Country represented by Lions
from around the World. If you could please send your Flag I would greatly
appreciate your help, If you know someone from another Country please
refer this page to them. Thank you for your help
WWW.
.ORG ®
Now
