To GET INVOLVEDSeveral Lions Clubs meet within Hamilton County. To get involved, call District Governor Carol Rhines at 423-570-1087.
About 300 lions will roar into Chattanooga this weekend, but don’t grab your safari hat and tranquilizer gun just yet – these lions are here to help.
The Tennessee Lions Club, a volunteer organization sponsoring health and community-building programs across the state, is hosting its annual state convention Friday through Sunday at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Members will discuss what they’ve done over the past year and what they hope to accomplish in the future.
“We’re all hooked together. When we serve, that means we serve not just locally but we’re all hooked together in a lot of areas,” State Convention Chairman Barbara Heath said.
“Our motto is ‘We Serve,’ and the Lions really do. They’re a great group of people. You can ask them to do anything and they’ll do it.”
Attracting younger members will be a top discussion point this year. Over the past several years, volunteerism has dropped off across North America, according to club officials, and members want to ensure their organization lives on.
“The world has changed now. Both spouses work, children are involved in lots of activities so membership is a problem,” said James Coffey, former Lions Club International president and convention keynote speaker. “I certainly don’t have a magic wand, but we need to find a way to find new members.”
Coffey has been involved in the Lions Club for 52 years, during which time he’s traveled all over the world promoting volunteerism. He said he isn’t sure what exactly needs to be done to promote involvement in the United States, but working closer with community leaders and changing the way the organization is run could be a start.
He hopes to get some fresh ideas this weekend.
“We need to find new solutions,” he said. “It’s going to take everybody working together to do that.”
Carol Rhines, governor of Hamilton County’s club district, said Tennessee Lions are up to the task. The group gave vision screenings to about 35,000 children between 1 and 5 over the past year, about 1,750 of whom needed glasses or help with other eye problems.
On top of that, club members help with diabetes testing and community involvement programs at schools.
“It’s work, and some days it can be overwhelming, but it’s rewarding, too,” Rhines said. “When you know that you’re helping a family, one person or a city or a community or who knows, it’s a rewarding position.”