Lions Club: A Complete Guide

Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your community? Maybe organizing a food drive or rushing to aid those who were affected by a hurricane in your area? If you said yes, why not consider joining the Lions Club?

The Lions Club is one of the world’s largest service organizations, and you can be a part of it even in high school. In this article, we’ll explain the Lions Club, how you can join or start a club, and why you should be part of the organization.

• What Is the Lions Club?
• Lions Club Membership and Club Types
• Lions Club Application Deadline
• Lions Club Requirements
• How to Get into the Lions Club
• Why Join the Lions Club?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Is the Lions Club?

Lions Clubs International is a global nonprofit organization devoted to community service. It was founded in 1917 and has now grown to 1.4 million members in about 49,000 clubs across nearly 200 countries.

One of the defining features of the Lions Club is its focus on global causes, such as:

• Childhood cancer
• Diabetes
• Disaster relief
• Environment
• Humanitarian
• Hunger
• Vision
• Youth

Through the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF), Lions can take on these challenges facing humanity through well-organized causes and initiatives, like:

• Mental health and well-being. Members raise awareness and advocate for positive change regarding mental health and well-being
• Recovery for disaster victims. The organization’s Disaster Relief Funds helps make sure that Lions are among the first responders after a major catastrophe.
• Humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Lions support refugees escape the war and give aid to the citizens still in the country.
• Sight for Kids. In partnership with Johnson & Johnson Vision, the organization helps provide eye health services to underserved communities.

LCIF offers grants and programs to support the organization’s different goals and initiatives.

Lions Club Membership and Club Types

The Lions Club offers different membership and club types so that volunteers can serve in a way that suits them best. Below is an overview of the different membership categories:

• Regular membership. This is the standard membership for adults. A Lion is typically 18 years or older with a good reputation in the community. Regular members pay full dues and participate fully in club service projects and meetings.
• Student membership. Student members are enrolled in an educational institution.
• Family membership. If you and your relatives live in the same house and are interested in being part of the Lions Club, this type of membership lets you volunteer together. Kids can’t be members.
• Leo membership. Leo Clubs are the youth branch of the Lions Club. There are two types of Leo Clubs:
  • Alpha Leo Clubs. These are usually school-based clubs for teenagers, around 12 to 18 years old.
  • Omega Leo Clubs. These are for young adults (18 to 30 years old), usually based in colleges.

Once you’ve pinpointed the type of membership you’re eligible for, here are the club types available to choose from:

• Traditional club. This is the classic community Lions club typically based in a town or neighborhood and draws members from the local area. Traditional clubs usually meet in person and run different service projects, depending on local community needs.
• Specialty club. This is pretty much like traditional clubs, but it brings together people who share a common interest, profession, or focus, in addition to community service. For example, you could have a Lions club for photography enthusiasts who do service projects involving photography.
• Virtual club. For high school students who are very tech-savvy, a virtual club might be appealing since you could collaborate on service projects with peers from different areas entirely online.
• Campus club. A campus club gives students opportunities to build leadership skills while creating a common bond of service with other fellow student members.

Lions Club Application Deadline

Application for Lions Club membership is open year-round.

However, it might be worth knowing that the organization’s fiscal year is July 1 to June 30, and many clubs install new officers and plan major activities at the start of a new Lions year.

So, if you’re aiming to start a new Leo club at your school, you could consider initiating it around the beginning of the school year or early in the calendar year so you have time to recruit members.

Lions Club Requirements

Lions Club International is generally open to everyone who shares the commitment to service—including high school students, through the Leo Clubs. However, you’ll still need to meet the requirements to join.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Alpha Leo Club, you must:

• Be 12 to 18 years old
• Be enrolled in the high school where the club is established
• Have a genuine interest in community service and leadership development

Required documents

The only document you’ll need to submit is the Alpha Application for Leo Club Membership (Form Leo50-A). This contains the following:

• Applicant information. Your full name, contact details (address, phone, email), and date of birth.
• Applicant signature. Your signature confirming your interest and agreement to the club’s principles.
• Parental/Guardian review and consent section. This acknowledges that they understand the nature of the Leo Club and its activities and that Lions Clubs International will use their child’s personal data for membership purposes. It gives consent for participation in meetings, service projects, and social events and potentially for being filmed or photographed at events.
• Club advisor approval. A section for the Leo Club Advisor (from the sponsoring Lions Club) and potentially the Faculty Advisor (from the school) to approve the membership.

Program cost

As a high school student joining a Leo Club, you typically do not pay an entrance fee to Lions Clubs International since the fees are handled by the sponsoring Lions Club.

Some individual Leo Clubs may have small local dues. These are determined by the specific Leo Club and are used to cover expenses like club T-shirts, project supplies, social events, or a club fund.

How to Get into the Lions Club

As a high school student, you’ll be part of the Lions Club through a Leo Club. There are two ways you can be a Leo Club member: start one or join an existing one at your school.

Starting a Leo Club

Here’s a step-by-step guide to starting a Leo Club at your school:

Step 1: Find a sponsoring Lions Club.

Every Leo Club must be sponsored by a local Lions Club. You can ask around your community (such as parents, teachers, or neighbors) if they know of a local Lions Club. Alternatively, you can use the Lions Clubs International Club Locator on their website to find clubs in your area.

Once you’ve identified a potential sponsoring Lions Club, contact their president or a key member to express your interest in starting a Leo Club at your high school. Be prepared to explain the benefits of a Leo Club for both the students and the community.

Step 2: Get your school’s approval.

Schedule a meeting with your high school principal, assistant principal, or activities director so you can present your idea. Explain the purpose of a Leo Club and how it aligns with your school’s values and mission.

During this meeting, the school must agree to fulfill Leo Club Program responsibilities and the Leo club must agree to follow the policies and regulations of the school.

Step 3: Identify a Leo Club Advisor and a Faculty Advisor.

The sponsoring Lions Club will appoint one of their members to serve as the primary Leo Club Advisor. This person will mentor the Leo club officers and members and act as a liaison between the Leo Club and the Lions Club.

Meanwhile, your school will likely require a teacher, counselor, or administrator to serve as a faculty co-advisor. This person will help navigate school policies and provide guidance within the school environment.

Step 4: Form the club.

Once you have a sponsoring Lions Club and school approval, start recruiting! Leo Clubs should have 20 initial members for formal chartering.

Once you have a list of people, invite all interested students to a meeting to explain the Leo Club Program in detail. When you have a solid group of interested students, hold elections for the initial Leo Club officers. Typically, these include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Then, you can complete membership applications for your new members.

Step 5: Be officially chartered.

This step is actually for the Lions Club sponsoring your new Leo Club, but it’s still good to know the whole process of how your club will be official.

The Lions Club will submit the Leo Club Organization Report (Leo-51), which will also contain the Leo Club president’s signature.

The sponsoring Lions Club pays a one-time Leo Club organization fee of $100, which covers the Certificate of Organization, officer kits, and initial new member kits. Then, the sponsoring club will often host an installation ceremony to formally welcome the new Leo Club, induct members, and install officers.

Joining an existing Leo Club

Joining an existing Leo Club is much simpler.

Most high schools have a section on their website or a physical bulletin board dedicated to student clubs and organizations, which you can check for information on your school’s Lions Club. Or, you can ask around, such as a school counselor, activities director, friends, or teachers.

Once you’ve identified the club, find out about the next meeting or event. After all, the easiest way to learn about the club and see if it’s a good fit is to attend one of their regular meetings or a recruitment event.

After attending a meeting, if you’re still interested in joining, let one of the club officers or the faculty advisor know. They’ll have you complete the Membership Application form. Once your application is submitted and processed, you’re officially a Leo!

Why Join the Lions Club?

Joining the Lions Club offers you personal growth, experiences, and opportunities that you can’t easily get elsewhere as a teenager. Here are the benefits of being part of your school’s Leo Club:

1. Community service

The Lions Club gives you a powerful platform to make a real difference in your community. Instead of just talking about problems, you’ll be out there doing something about them. This lets you learn empathy and understand community needs firsthand.

For example, you could help organize a vision screening that finds kids who need glasses, or run a fundraiser that provides meals to families facing hunger. Lions Clubs also focus on big global causes like the environment and disaster relief, so you can contribute locally to solutions that have worldwide significance.

The immediate reward is seeing the impact of your actions—like the smile on someone’s face who got help or a cleaner park in your neighborhood. This sense of making a positive contribution to society can be very fulfilling.

2. Leadership and personal growth

Taking roles such as club president, secretary, or project chair lets you practice organizing groups, speaking in public, managing budgets, and planning events.

But even as a general member, you’ll also grow personally. You’ll learn to work in a team with people of different ages and get chances to attend leadership workshops or conferences. Lions Clubs International also holds youth leadership seminars and Leo conferences, and provides online courses on things like goal setting and conflict resolution.

3. Friendship and networking

In the Lions Club, you’ll meet incredible people who share your values of kindness and service. Within your club, you’ll also bond with fellow members while working side by side on projects. You’ll have opportunities (especially as you get older) to attend Lions conventions, youth camps, or exchanges where you meet people from different countries. These networking opportunities can lead to mentorships, travel, and cultural exchange.

Even at the local level, Lions club members often include people like community leaders and professionals who can become mentors to you.

4. College and career opportunities

Admissions officers like to see students who are involved with the community, and being part of a service organization as big as the Lions Club is a sign of commitment, initiative, and leadership. Being in Lions Club shows you have a sense of social responsibility and can work with diverse age groups.

Some Lions Club members might even be willing to write you a recommendation letter for college. They may even offer you an internship or job once you graduate, and the skills you learn as a member will serve you well in college and any career.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does the Lions Club do?

Lions Clubs perform volunteer service projects to help people and communities around the world. Members address issues like vision health, hunger, the environment, childhood cancer, diabetes, and disaster relief.

2. Is the Lions Club religious?

No, Lions Clubs International is not a religious organization or affiliated with any church. It’s a non-political, non-sectarian service club focusing only on community service and humanitarian goals.

3. Does the Lions Club still collect glasses?

Yes, the Lions Club still collects used eyeglasses. Through the Lions Recycle for Sight program, Lions clubs collect usable eyeglasses, then sort, clean, and distribute them to people in need around the world.

Takeaways

• Lions Clubs International is a worldwide service network with 1.4 million members, and high school students can get involved through Leo Clubs. The organization focuses on major causes like vision, hunger, environment, diabetes, and more.
• High school students can join the Lions Club through the Alpha Leo Club. There are two ways you can be part of it: starting a club or joining an existing one at your school. However, to start a Leo Club, you’ll need to look for a Lions Club in your area to sponsor it.
• Some benefits to joining the Lions Club are experiencing community service, leadership and personal growth, friendship and networking, and college and career opportunities.
• Being part of the Lions Club is a big opportunity to show your passion for community service. Get your college application checked to improve the impact your academic and extracurricular activities (including Lions Club membership) can make.