What does a Lions Club actually do?
What does a Lions club do? In short, it serves its local community. The Lynn Valley Lions are a group of neighbours in North Vancouver who raise money and volunteer their time for local people and causes, from school pancake breakfasts to subsidized housing to disaster relief. No mane required, and no, there is not usually any roaring. (Okay, occasionally there is roaring. Usually when the pancake griddle finally heats up.)
If you have ever wondered what a Lions club actually does, or whether it might be for you, this one is for you.
What is a Lions club, exactly?
Lions Clubs International is one of the largest service club organizations in the world, built on a two-word motto: We Serve. Local clubs like ours follow those values, but here is the part people often miss: every Lions club is an independent local organization. Lions Clubs International champions global causes. The Lynn Valley Lions focus on Lynn Valley.
That means when you join the Lynn Valley Lions, you are not signing up for some distant head office. You are joining your neighbours to serve the community you actually live in.
What do Lynn Valley Lions actually do?
A little bit of everything, honestly. Depending on the season, being a Lion might look like:
Flipping pancakes at a school fundraiser, where the school keeps 100% of the proceeds.
Selling Christmas trees at our Christmas in the Canyon market in Lynn Canyon Park, with proceeds going to school PACs, youth sports, and disaster relief
Supporting the governance of John C. Gardiner Court, our subsidized housing complex that is home to about 165 low-income neighbours.
Rallying when the community needs it most, as we did with fundraising after the Silverlynn apartment fire.
Some of it is hands-on and social. Some of it is behind the scenes. All of it adds up to a community that takes care of its own.
Do you need a lot of time to be a Lion?
No. This is the biggest misconception about service clubs. Being a Lion is not a second job. Members contribute what they can, when they can. Some are deeply involved in committees and planning. Others show up for the events they love and call it a season. Both are valued, full stop.
What matters is not the hours you log. It is that you show up, in whatever way works for your life.
What do you get out of being a Lion?
We could talk about the warm fuzzy feelings, and they are real. But here is what members mention most: the people. Joining the Lions is one of the fastest ways to actually know your community. Not just wave-at-the-dog-park know, but work-side-by-side, share-a-laugh, help-a-neighbour know.
In a world where community connection can feel harder to find, a service club is a shortcut to belonging. Plus, you learn to flip a truly excellent pancake.
Sound like you?
If any of this strikes a chord, we would love to meet you. There is no pressure and no commitment required to start the conversation. Come see what we are about.
Ready to jump in? Visit lvlions.com/become-a-lion to learn about membership.
Want to help without joining just yet? We welcome event volunteers too. Head to lvlions.com/volunteer.
Either way, Lynn Valley is better when more of us pitch in. Hope to see you soon.