Introducing the International President 2012-2013 - Lions Clubs ...

INTRODUCING THE 2012-2013 LIONS LEADERand he literally marked everything, everyturn, where to stop for gas, a good placeto stop for lunch. He wrote a full narrativefor me so that I would not miss a turn,"she says.Madden had caring for his family down pat.He also wanted to care for his community,to give back. Smith from Prudential hadmade it a point to talk up the Lions andother civic groups. Linda's father hadbeen president of the Lions club in nearbyWaterloo. So in 1984 when an unsignedletter from the Auburn Lions came in themail asking him to join, Madden joined."I had no idea what the Lions did otherthan seeing them working projects at thefair or selling fruit on the street. I knew theyhad a scholarship programme for highschool students every year. That was myextent of knowing,"says Madden."When I became amember I kind ofstumbled around fora few years. I didn'trealise you weresupposed to haveperfect attendance,"he adds.Fellow clubmembers rememberit differently. "Waynecaught fire earlyon," says HubertStackhouse, anAuburn Lion since1956. "The club hadnever been wildlyenthusiastic aboutdistrict, state orinternational activities. Under Wayne'sleadership we participated in SightFirstII much more extensively. Wayneencourages us and our club."A defining moment for Madden as aLion was an eyeglass mission trip toHonduras in 1995, a full decade afterhe became a Lion. A young man witha disability slowly made his way to theeyeglass tent."He asked if I had a pair of sunglasses. Ihad these inexpensive, little fluorescenttypesunglasses with a bright yellow ridgeand orange temples. As I'm digging aroundto try to find him a case he's got on thispair of sunglasses and this big smile onhis face. When you see service actuallydo something for somebody is when youbecome a Lion," he says.Another highlight as a Lion for Maddenalso involves vision. As an internationaldirector from 1999-2001, he traveled toTennessee and learned of the success ofLions there in a children's vision screeningprogramme. So a few years later hebrought Operation KidSight to Indiana."Operation KidSight in my opinion is theperfect Lions club project," says PastInternational Director Dave Fiandt ofthe Fort Wayne Central Lions Club. "Itdeals with kids. It deals with sight. It'sa needed project and it's our project, aLions project. It's due to Wayne Madden'svision and the fact he made sure it got offon a sound footing."As international president, hearkeningback to the sense of community hedeveloped in Auburn, the fiery compassionfor others espoused by a slain civil rightsleader and the giving-back mentality of asmall-town Lions club, Madden will keepservice in the forefront."In a world of service no child should goto bed hungry. We have people sufferingfrom preventable blindness. In a worldof service that should never happen. Wehave babies in Africa suffering from beingborn to HIV mothers. Those babies shouldbe taken care of," says Madden.Madden's travels have taken him far fromAuburn, and he's learned that Lions infar-flung places share much in commonwith one another."When you travel around the world youlearn that our association is not a bigassociation in one sense. It's just clubslike the one I belong to in Auburn. It's justThe Wayne Madden Story: The Film VersionA fun and engaging nine-minute video tells the life story of ournew president, from his humble roots to his involvement withLions. Find the video at www.lionsclubs.org/EN/lnn/videoview.php?id=60In a World of ServiceThis eight-minute video details the presidential theme of Maddenincluding his emphasis on literacy, women's and family membership,and teamwork. Find the video at www.lionsclubs.org/EN/lnn/video-view.php?id=59LION, South Pacific Edition | July/August 2012 24