Lions Clubs International holds seminar

Lions Clubs International holds seminar

By Bernard Yaw ASHIADEY

Lions Clubs International, an organisation focused on serving the interest of communities through humanitarian services, has held a one-day training workshop to equip new and old members with membership and leadership qualities in Accra.

Participants were taken through steps to becoming great leaders and pro-active members in their respective lions clubs, for which the communities they serve will be the ultimate beneficiaries.

First Vice International President, Lion Wayne Madden, who is in the country for a four-day visit, addressed the participants.

He said to become a great lion, you need to be selfless and be ready to face problems and solve them.

“We need to address today’s problems and face tomorrow’s challenges if we want to remain the biggest service club in the world. We need to become pro-active in rendering services to communities.”

Lion Madden added that everyone has the potential to become a great leader. But these potentials need to be nurtured properly.

“We developed the Global Leadership Team to help bring out and develop leaders in our communities. The Global Membership Team is also to bring out and retain more members for the organisation.

Region 34 Chairman, Lion George Odamtten, said everyone needs some training in the provision of services to their communities.

“The seminar is to equip lions in the delivery of services to the communities. This is because the club has laid down rules that need to be followed when we step out to help communities,” he said.

He called on every citizen to join these humanitarian clubs to help out people who are in need like the disabled, the blind, aged, and others.

“Join clubs like the Lions club so that your efforts, though small, will go a long way to help the needy.”

As part of his four-day visit, Lion Madden inducted 15 prospective lions at a joint ceremony at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra and charged them to take the course of “lionism” seriously.

He also paid a courtesy call on the Vice President, John Mahama, where the latter commended the club’s effort in financing the building of an Eye Unit and Surgical Training Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to the tune of US$1.5 million.

The club also planted trees along the GIMPA stretch of the George Walker Bush motorway as part of its afforestation project to plant 10million trees worldwide.

The club in partnership with Gates Foundation is raising US$15million to eradicate measles on the continent through its ‘one shot, one life’ campaign to prevent 450 children from dying daily due to measles.

Lion Madden was accompanied by three other top loins. They included Past International Director, Lion Manoj Shah; Past District Governor, Lion Rajinder Sembi; and District Governor, 403 A2, Lion Andre Gbadoe.