Finding Value In Membership

It does not matter who the actual person is. It does not matter what the organization is. Everyone wants to feel needed and wanted to continue their membership. Lions Clubs are no different. Let’s examine why a person joins an organization and why they continue their membership. The application to Lions Clubs is the same.

Everyone wants to feel needed. Everyone wants to feel they belong. Everyone wants to feel their time on Earth makes a difference. That’s why they join an organization. That organization could be a church. That organization could be a professional one. That organization could be social. That organization could be service minded.

Paying dues is the cost of membership. Some may disagree with the next sentence. A church member pays dues during the offering. The reason is simple. They feel that particular church fills a void in their life. They want to belong to that church. Let’s state it in another way. A Methodist derives no benefit by contributing to a Baptist Church.

It’s the same principle for a professional organization. An educator pays dues to a teacher’s organization. They derive no benefit paying dues to a lawyer’s organization. An educator receives benefits in the form of knowing they are shaping the lives of the next generation, while earning a living.

A service organization like Lions Clubs is no different. The reason people join a Lions Club are many. Some do it for just the social aspect. Others join because Lions make their community better. If someone joins a Lions Club for only the social aspect, they could be at risk for resigning if the club only meets in a virtual way during the coronavirus.

If the Lions Club has some active service projects where club members physically meet, then that Lion who joined for just social reasons has a reason to stay. That Lions can now socialize while serving. That Lion is getting compensated for paying dues to Lions.

Service is an important part of Lions Clubs. It’s important to recognize that in serving the community, many clubs also reap internal benefits for members. That service gives them what they want. A service project makes them feel important. A service project fulfils self-worth. A Lion who feels self-fulfilled is very likely to do more than remain a Lion. That Lion may ask a non-Lion friend to join in on the next service project.

The Lions motto is “We Serve”. It is not “We Serve except during a lockdown.”

How do we serve during a lockdown? How do we serve while maintaining social distancing? Find out the answer next time.

We Serve because Kindness Matters 

Lion Andy Kalinowski (Andy K) 
District Governor
662.549.3421
http://www.mississippilions.org/ 

https://www.facebook.com/Lions30M

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