WE SERVE is the motto of Lions Club.
We are part of Lions Clubs International (LCI), the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.
The late Helen Keller, the blind and deaf activist, speaking at a national Lions convention in 1926 asked Lions to become "Knights for the Blind." Members responded with enthusiasm and adopted her cause. Today the world-wide network of local Lions Clubs is a leading sponsor of research into the causes and treatment of vision and hearing disabilities. Research and screenings for diabetes, circulatory diseases, measles and River Blindness have resulted from this focus.
We provide the support that enables people around the world and in our local area to receive eye and hearing exams, eyeglasses and hearing aids, surgery and other advanced treatments. We also support service to veterans.
We assist the work of other local service organizations in providing for the needs of our community. Check out the "Club Projects" page for more information about what we have done over the past year.
100% of the money we raise from the public through our Food Trailer sales and Beef & Freezer Raffle goes to service. Administrative costs are covered entirely by membership dues, member fines, and Happy Bucks.
Kennewick Lions Club Foundation
Originally formed to receive grant monies for the Edith Bishel Center for the Blind, the KLCF is a registered 501 (c) 3 corporation in the State of Washington. It enables us to receive tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses and other organizations. Under KLC Foundation by-laws, the KLC board is the same as the Foundation board. The KLCF is funded by proceeds from our Beef and Freezer raffle, and can receive bequests, grants, and member donations. 100% of monies raised by Foundation activities goes to service, as there are no administrative costs. The KLCF is independent of the Northwest Lions Foundation and the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF).
About Club Governance, LCI, the Multiple District, and Zones:
Kennewick Lions is administered by a Board of Directors that meets monthly. The board consists of all the officers (see "Officers" page) of the club. It runs the business affairs of the club, makes recommendations for action to the general membership at the two monthly meetings and implements those approved thereby.
The local club is connected to Lions Club International through a multiple-district. Ours is designated as MD-19 www.lionsmd19.com. MD-19 covers British Columbia, Washington and North Idaho. . The Multiple-District is divided into Districts with letter designations A through I. Each District has a District Governor who is elected by delegates representing each club at the annual District Convention. Our District is 19-F which runs from Ellensburg, down the Yakima Valley, through SE Washington to Grangeville, ID, up to Potlatch ID back over to Garfield WA, on over to Harrington, Odessa and back down to Tri-cities. The current 19-F District Governor is Steve Noble of the Yakima Lions Club. Districts are further broken down in numbered units called "Zones," consisting of clubs within a relatively close geographical proximity. Kennewick Lions Club is in Zone F-6, which includes Pasco, West Richland-Red Mountain, and Benton City. Each Zone is coordinated by a Zone Chair. Our current Zone Chair is Richard Redick of our Kennewick Club. The business of the District is run by the Governor and his cabinet which includes the Vice District Governor, the eight Zone Chairs and the various committee chairs. A portion of our dues goes to support the District and LCI.
Information about LCI can be found through the links to the right of these pages. Basically International establishes a model by-laws, rules for how clubs are to manage their funds and develops the overarching goals for Lions. LCI provides the vehicle for focusing financial and volunteer aid on places in need around the world. Within that structure, the local club has wide latitude to develop its own charitible activities and determine how best to deliver support at the local level. Through the Lions organization, the individual member has opportunities to grow in leadership and service to others and have an impact on local, regional and ultimately, global needs.
