With 250,000 members in India and 1.47 million globally, the Global Membership Team (GMT) of Lions Clubs International is emphasizing person to person contact in colleges and corporate houses for attracting young people to the fold of Lionism, according to Lion Capt Percy Master. This initiative aims at increasing membership by at least 10% this year, according to the chief coordinator for the GMT. All Clubs have been advised to have a designated membership coordinator and to request every member to get at least one new member from their neighbors or friends or from the companies they work for. At present only 20% of members are between 35 to 40 years of age, he noted, in an email to Parsiana on December 21, 2017. Master’s role as chief coordinator is "to encourage four regions having almost 50 Clubs to enhance their membership this year.” They have "also offered a trophy for most members recruited this year as an incentive,” he informed.
Daara Patel (far left) and Capt Percy Master
"Without Lion members there will be no Lionism and therefore we will not be able to serve humanity as we are doing today... It is therefore very important to induce (a) new direction to Lionism with new ideas from the younger generation...In the end you are measured not by how much you undertake but by what you accomplish,” Master told the members at a seminar on November 29, at the Yiamas Lounge. He expressed confidence that Lions "will rise to the occasion and accomplish their target of recruiting new members and forming new clubs...
"All the region chairpersons, zone chairpersons and club presidents were invited,” Master informed in a detailed note. Chief guest Lion Pradip Parekh gave his thoughts on recruiting new members via person to person contact. Stressing the importance of bringing in new members, India, South Asia, Africa and Middle East (ISAAME) executive director Lion Dr Neville Mehta said the members should "work for Lionism from your heart and not always from your mind.” The event was mentored by past district governor Lion Daara Patel.
A vote of thanks was given by Lion Cyrus Surti.
Lions Clubs worldwide are focussing this year on diabetes care and on pediatric cancer. Ninety percent of the 350 persons who underwent checks for diabetes organized by the International Association of Lions Clubs on November 14 at Oshiwara in Bombay tested positive. At the other two locations where the Club organized the testing, the numbers were less: between 40% and 45% at Marine Drive and Chembur respectively, reported Patel via email to Parsiana. The three awareness and check-up camps held on World Diabetes Day was the result of collaboration between multiple clubs from District 3231. The program included presentations by renowned diabetelogists on the awareness and prevention of the condition and films to spread awareness on prevention.
Patel stated that the checks were supported and sponsored by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited at Marine Drive, USV Private Limited at Chembur and Micro Labs Limited at Oshiwara. The testing was done at the Parshwa Life Sciences Lab and reports sent through WhatsApp and emails.
The India website of Lions Club International states that the Club officially launched its campaign against diabetes on November 1 this year to "raise awareness against this seemingly harmless disease” with a nationwide series of events that included yoga camps, detection camps, health park inaugurations, nukkad nataks (street plays) and various awareness initiatives. In India, about 50.9 million people suffer from diabetes, and this figure is likely to go up to 80 million by 2025, making it the "Diabetes Capital” of the world, notes the website of Diabetes Foundation (India).
Launched in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation, each World Diabetes Day (November 14 each year) focuses on a different aspect of the illness. The theme for 2017 was "Women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future.”