Camas Lions Club (MD-19 -G2)

In addition to the five global service areas: vision, hunger, the environment, childhood cancer and diabetes, Lions Club International suggests some other areas where they encourage us to serve which includes:  Disaster Relief, Literacy, and Youth.  Our club was interested in serving our Community in the area of Literacy and Youth.  

The LCI literacy program, the  Reading Action Program, was a 10-year commitment to increasing reading and literacy rates. It was a call to action for every Lions club around the world to organize service projects and activities that underscore the importance of reading and address specific needs related to illiteracy within their own community.

Among other service projects that helped us serve our community in the area of Literacy & Youth, our club also set up several information booths at community events. Some of the activities include:

1. Handing out free  scholastic readers.  We purchased 300 paperback books for $100 on Amazon. About $0.30 per book.  We handed out the books at a community fair.  (see photos)

2. Hand out free, Lions Club branded  bookmarks. 

3. Hosting a bookmark  coloring contest. At a community fair, we handed out bookmark coloring contest forms.  Children took the coloring contest page home and created a bookmark design. They turned in the completed design at the local library (partnership established ahead of time).  The winning design was featured on the bookmark that we handed out the next year. 

This could be a good project for any club as any park would do, and a Lions Club could take on as much or as little as they want to.

How does this help Membership? 

Any new initiative is an opportunity to attract new members. This initiative in particular could attract teachers or people passionate about literacy. Promoting this initiative via email, social media and your website could also attract new members.