Leos leap into service Convention highlights - Lions Clubs New ...

LEO CLUBSKids clamour for community serviceBy Iain MorrisonNew Leos Clubs have doubled to 18 in the last 12 months and another 10 new clubs in New Zealand and thePacific Islands are in the pipeline, with the surge of interest flowing through to new young members joining Lions.National Leos co-ordinator Brian Grounds,a secondary school teacher at the SirEdmund Hillary Collegiate in SouthAuckland, has started two Leos Clubsat his school and inspired eight fellowteachers and numerous parents of Leos tojoin his Onehunga-Ellerslie Lions Club."As soon as Leos reach the minimum agethey want to become Lions," Mr Groundssays. "Our club has members rangingfrom 18 to 78 with the average age of themembership at just 35 years."A survey conducted for Lions last yearshowed that 79 percent of New ZealandLions are aged over 60 years. Mr Groundshas grown his club younger by sparkingfamily interest in leadership, teamworkand helping others through Leos andLions Clubs.While the interest extended across alldecile schools, it was particularly noticeablein low decile schools where there is a highLeos national co-ordinator Brian Grounds thought he was in trouble when he was pulled over bythe traffic police recently, only to be told he hadn't done anything wrong but the officer had seenthe Lions emblem on the back of his vehicle and wanted to have a chat with him.proportion of Maori and Pacific Islandfamilies, he said."The influence of Leos continues to grow.Leos get involved in fundraising projectsand non-Leos get roped in to help theirmates and many then decide they want toget more active by joining the club."The young people learn from working witholder Lions, but it goes both ways and olderLions will also learn a lot from the Leos," hesaid. "More than $5500 has been raised atSir Edmund Hillary Collegiate for the FirstXV rugby team, a Pacific Island culturaltrip, helping the girls' volleyball teamto a national tournament, the breakfastclub, and a cash contribution to LCIF," MrGrounds said.Leos have also helped raise money forthe refurbishment and restoration ofSir Edmund Hillary's house, which wasgifted to the school that carries his nameand moved from Remuera where it wasoriginally built by Sir Ed, who was a Lionin the 1960s and 70s.Leos with their new barbeque that was pressed into service a few hours after it was assembled.Local Mad Butcher Peter Martin, who is also a Lion, supplies the sausages for Leos to cook andfundraise. From left: Junior Mu, Santana Waiariki, Terryquis Oaariki, Tiani Varu."Hillary House" will become an adult educationcentre which will enable the school to boastthat it enrols toddlers, primary school,secondary school through to parents andgrandparents all on the one campus.LION, South Pacific Edition | May/June 2012 20