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PROFILE: Lions Club steps in with a little help from ScaniaHeart of a LionSheila Bröcker became a Lion in2004, an event that has changedher life. Since then, she hashelped forge a strong friendshipwith Scania Southern Africa,andin turn helped hundreds of peopleto enjoy a better life.It was a vision of successful men andwomen serving their communities thatled Chicago businessman Melvin Jonesto invite various business clubs togetherin 1917. Jones intended the individuals inthese organisations to work together for thebetterment of their communities, and the worldat large. The new organisation took the nameof one of the invited groups – Association ofLions Clubs – and a national convention washeld the same year. One of the first objectivesadopted by Lions said: “No club shall hold outthe financial betterment of its members as itsobject.” This call for unselfish service to othersremains one of the association’s main tenets.90 years later, Lions Club International hasover 1,4 million members at 45 000 clubs in 202countries and regions around the world. TheLions Club Pretoria Jakaranda in South Africa,is just one of these, and makes a tremendousdifference to the lives of many people living inSheila Bröcker is the city.proud to be a Lion.Sheila Bröckerlearned she hadhereditary emphysemain 1999, the newscausing her greatdistress and despair.A friend invited herto join the local LionsClub and she accepted.Immediately she foundherself immersed inone service project afteranother, surrounded byfellow Lions membersselflessly makinglife better for lessfortunate people in theircommunity.“Lions is like asecond family to us,”says Sheila. “Wheneverwe’re busy, we wearour Lions work jackets.Being a part of it savedmy life; it has made sucha difference for me tohelp make a difference.”Through Sheila’sdaughter Debbie, Scania Southern Africabecame aware of Pretoria JakarandaLions Club’s activities, and donatedto the organisation 5 000 road safetypuzzles and Scania clothing items suchas jackets and shirts. These have beendistributed to children and people inneed by Lions, and no doubt moresupport will be forthcoming from ScaniaSouthern Africa in the future.One of Lions’ most prominent andlongest running endeavours is itsVision Programme, launched in 1925after Helen Keller challenged Lionsto become “knights of the blind inthe crusade against darkness”. Today,Lions are recognised worldwide fortheir service to the blind and visuallyimpaired. Lions raise funds to buildclinics, provide cornea transplants andfight river blindness all over the world;18 SCANIA REVOLUTIONS • N o 3/2009 www.scania.com