Serving Others with the Lions Club

by Jessa K., Panther Blogger

Being in a club on campus can be very time-consuming and hard to juggle especially when combined with other things like classes and jobs.  Being the president of a club or holding any office for that matter can be a serious challenge because, like somebody told Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility."  He really wasn't joking.  I am currently the president of the Ferrum College Lions Branch Club on campus and it is an all-consuming job, yet it is the most rewarding I have ever had.

Lions International is a health-based community service organization with a focus on vision, hearing, and diabetes.  Our club has tried very hard to stick to these main focus points, and we really try to remain true to the Lions International motto:  "We Serve."  Like Ferrum's motto, it does not get much simpler than that, yet it is so profound.  We do serve. We serve our communities, our country, and our world.  This international organization links millions of people together in the Lions community.

On Tuesday, December 10, thirteen out of fifteen of my branch club members attended an initiation ceremony held for us by the Ferrum College Lions Club.  We were inducted into the parent club as official Lions International members. It was a very rewarding ceremony because it provided us with the physical reward for all of our hard work.  We became a club on campus in the spring semester of 2013.  We are now approaching our first anniversary and just now have finished the long and tedious process of becoming International members.

A few of the events we have participated in during the past year are the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, an eyeglass drive, a diabetes awareness day, a hearing screening, Spring Fling, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, and Trick-or-Treat for canned goods.  It has been a very busy year and even busier fall semester!

All of these activities have been time-consuming, but I really cannot stress enough how worth it every single second was.  Even though I had to wake up very early some mornings and not return from the event until late at night, I will never feel like I wasted my time.  Helping to make a difference in the lives of others is the best way to spend your time, and don't let anyone tell you differently!