Creating Ripples Together: We Serve as One
When we think about Lions service, we can think of a ripple.
A ripple begins with a single drop of water. From that one small drop, circles move outward, touching everything around them. One ripple becomes another, and together they travel farther than the first drop ever could.
That is the power of we as Lions.
Every time we serve, we create a ripple. When we help a child, support a family, respond to a disaster, welcome a new member, or simply give our time to someone who needs us, we may not immediately see the full impact of what we have done.
But our service does not stop with one person.
It spreads.
As Lions of District 36-O, we have an opportunity this year to create those ripples together. Our individual clubs are important, but our greatest strength comes when we recognize that we are part of one Lions family.
Our theme for this year is simple:
We serve. We grow. We lead. We create ripples—together.
Growing Together
As we look toward the future, we have set ambitious membership goals for 2026–2027.
Together, we will work toward one new Lions club, 50 new members, and five branch clubs.
But these goals are about much more than numbers.
Every new member is another person who can make a difference.
When we invite someone to become a Lion, we are not simply asking them to join an organization. We are inviting them to become part of a community of people who believe that service matters.
We all know someone who cares about others and wants to make a difference. Let us reach out to those people.
Let us invite them.
Let us welcome them.
Let us help them find their place in Lions.
One new Lion creates a ripple. Fifty new Lions can create a wave.
And when we build new clubs and branch clubs, we bring the opportunity to serve into more communities.
We grow because we serve, and we serve because we grow.
Leading Together
We also know that strong Lions clubs require strong leaders.
As District 36-O Lions, we will invest in one another.
We will have monthly meetings with our Global Leadership Team and regular outreach to our Zone Chairs. We will provide three training opportunities for Zone Chairs, including one through Zoom, and three training opportunities for Club Officers, also including one virtual session.
But leadership is not simply about holding an office.
Leadership is about helping one another succeed.
When we teach a new club officer, we strengthen a club. When we mentor a new Lion, we strengthen the future of our district. When we share our knowledge and experience, we make every club stronger.
We do not lead alone. We lead together.
And when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
Serving Our Youth and Communities in Need
Our service focus this year is youth and disaster relief.
We have an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of young people.
One of our goals is to increase participation in the Peace Poster Contest from one club to five clubs. Today, the Lake Oswego Lions Club participates. We want to see four more clubs join this effort.
Think about the ripple that can create.
Five clubs can reach hundreds of young people. Those young people can share their ideas about peace with their families, schools, and communities.
When we give young people a voice, we invest in the future.
We also want to strengthen our ability to respond when disaster strikes. The Mt. Hood Lions Club has drafted a community impact grant application for disaster relief. This is an opportunity for us to work together, share resources, and build a stronger district-wide response.
When our communities face hardship, we as Lions stand together.
We may come from different clubs, different communities, and different backgrounds, but when someone needs help, we are united by our commitment to serve.
Growing the Next Generation of Lions
Our youth commitment also includes expanding Leo Clubs.
District 36-O currently has one Leo Club, sponsored by the McMinnville Lions Club. Our goal is to establish five Leo Clubs.
We want young people to experience the joy of service and the responsibility of leadership.
We can give them opportunities to organize projects, solve problems, work as teams, and make a difference in their communities.
And perhaps, years from now, those young people will become Lions.
The ripple continues from one generation to the next.
Giving Together Through LCIF
We can also extend our impact through the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).
Our goal this year is to increase LCIF participation by 10 percent, engage 30 members, and achieve $5,000 in personal donations.
We will reach out to Lions through conventions, training events, email, social media, and personal conversations.
But most importantly, we will share why LCIF matters.
When we contribute to LCIF, we are helping Lions respond to needs beyond the reach of a single club or community.
Our individual contributions become collective strength.
Together, our generosity creates a ripple that can reach around the world.
Our Ripple Starts With Us
As we begin this Lions year, I want us to remember that none of us has to do everything.
But all of us can do something.
We can invite one person.
We can volunteer one more hour.
We can mentor another Lion.
We can support a young person.
We can participate in the Peace Poster Contest.
We can help prepare our communities for disasters.
We can support LCIF.
And most importantly, we can support one another.
We do not need to ask, “What can my club accomplish?”
Let us ask:
“What can we accomplish together?”
Our clubs are the individual drops.
Our members are the ripples.
Our district is the water connecting us all.
When we work separately, our impact may be limited. When we work together, our ripples meet—and those ripples become waves.
This is our opportunity to build something bigger than any one club.
We as Lions are stronger together.
We as Lions serve together.
We as Lions lead together.
We as Lions grow together.
And together, we can reach people we could never reach alone.
The first ripple starts with each of us.
Let us create the ripples together.
We Serve