By Julia DeWitt, Training and Development Specialist II, Texas Crime Victim Clearinghouse
With more than 260,000 Lions across the United States, chances are that there is a Lions Club in your area. Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization, with over 1.4 million members worldwide. Lions Club members are civic-minded individuals who come together to give back to their communities. As such, Lions are a diverse group of people from all age ranges and social backgrounds. Lions serve locally in different ways, with global service initiatives focused on childhood cancer, diabetes, disaster relief, environment, humanitarian, hunger, vision, and youth.
The Temple Breakfast Lions Club at a Vision Screening for the H-E-B Feast of Sharing Event.
Lions Clubs in Texas do much to assist victims of crime, and the following are only a few examples from Lions Clubs in my District of Central Texas. In July of 2024, the Robinson Area Lions Club purchased and delivered stuffed animals for the Children’s Advocacy Center. The same month, the Waco Women’s Lions Club donated over 100 stuffed animals and toys for the McLennan Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children. These toys were collected for children to play with while waiting in court to testify. The Waco Women’s Lions Club in November of 2024 helped provide painted Christmas trees to be placed on the McLennan County Courthouse Lawn during the month of December, an event to help garner funds for the Victims’ Advocacy Center. In December of 2024, the Temple-Belton Ladies Lions Club collected gift cards and donated them to Priceless Beginnings, a shelter that assists victims of domestic violence.
You may have seen eyeglasses recycling boxes in Walmart or at local businesses. In 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions at an International Convention in Ohio to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Since then, Lions have been committed to supporting vision initiatives both in their local communities and across the globe. Many Clubs host free vision screenings throughout the year and use their own fundraising efforts to provide eyeglasses and vision exams for individuals in their area.
I joined my local Temple Breakfast Lions Club in 2024, and volunteering with this organization has proved to be very worthwhile. Earlier this year, I completed Vision Screening Training. While volunteering at vision screenings, we made referrals for children and adults to see an optometrist. Through our Club’s fundraising, we provide glasses and eye exams for adults in the Temple area throughout the year. As someone who wears glasses, I find great satisfaction in assisting people in my community this way.
While volunteering with the Temple Breakfast Lions Club, I have also assisted other organizations in their events in my community. We have volunteered at 5K runs, food banks, the HEB Feast of Sharing, golf tournaments, and other events hosted by local businesses. Each time, my Club enjoys giving back in service to our community.
Lions Clubs typically meet twice a month and welcome guest speakers for their meetings. Non-profit organizations, government officials, businesses, and schools are all commonly welcomed at Club meetings. In September of 2024, the Waco Women’s Lions Club was visited by their Child Abuse Unit Investigator and Legal Assistant to speak about services to crime victims offered by the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office. The Office was able to provide the Club with a wish list of items requested for victims, and the Club provided board games and stuffed animals to make the victims’ room more comfortable and child-friendly. The Waco Women’s Lions Club has also been visited by the District Attorney, who has shared insight into the crime rate in their area and the number of cases closed within the year from the backlog of cases If you or anyone you know in the field of victim services is interested in speaking, I highly recommend you reach out to your local Lions Clubs!
Lions Clubs often collaborate with nonprofits and other local organizations in need of volunteers. When asked, Lions can contribute their time and resources at 5K runs, donation drives, charity dinners, and other events. If you are planning an event (such as a resource fair), reach out to a local Club to see if they can provide vision screenings, free of charge. Lions in your area can be a valuable resource for vision screenings or for volunteers wanting to give back.
If your organization is looking to spread the word about what they do or needs volunteers for an event, try reaching out to a local Lions Club or other community organization (such as a Rotary Group) to see how they can help.
To find a local Lions Club near you, you can search online using the Club Locator.
