We will continue to serve

WE HAVE much to celebrate as not only do we commemorate 25 years of service locally, but internationally, we are observing 100 years of humanitarian service. The Lions Club of New Kingston is a proud part of the world’s largest service organisation of over 1.4 million Lions in over 46,000 Lions Clubs across the world, who, on March 27, 1992, was chartered.

In the same way that Melvin Jones, the father of Lionism, brought together a group of successful businesspersons in 1917 to share his dream of improving communities, so, too, did the Lions Club of New Kingston, in 1992, bring together a group of committed professional and retired persons and provided them with the opportunity to give service to the less fortunate. Of the 38 charter members of the club, all but two were members of the defunct Lioness Club of Kingston. Sixteen of these charter members are still active 25 years later.

The club’s membership currently stands at 56. Fourteen of our members have been named Melvin Jones Fellows, a distinction bestowed by Lions International for outstanding service to Lionism. It is important for me to share that 19 of our 23 past presidents are still current members, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for paving the way so that we are able to celebrate today.

GROWTH OF LIONS

The New Kingston Club has also contributed to the growth of the Lions movement, having sponsored two Leo Clubs and a Lions Club. On May 25, 1994, the club sponsored the Leo Club of New Kingston and on October 3, 2013, an Alpha Club was sponsored at Campion College. This gave the members the opportunity to mentor young people in the ways of volunteerism and service.

In May 2008, the Lions Club of Port Antonio was chartered under the sponsorship of the Lions Club of New Kingston, and since then, that club has been growing from strength to strength.

Over the past 25 years, the Lions Club of New Kingston has undertaken many projects, which have been funded through the club’s fundraising activities as well as through meaningful partnerships with local and overseas companies and organisations WHICH have contributed in cash, kind, and service.

As we move forward to the next 25 years, we pledge to continue using our time, talents, and resources to make a meaningful contribution to the betterment of Jamaica by caring for the less fortunate and by helping to develop communities. As Lions, this is what we do ... we serve. LION PAULA C. BARTLEY President, 2015-2017