On Tuesday evening, July 5, 2016, members of the Lions Club of Pago Pago gathered at the A & E Cafe in Tafuna, with families and friends looking on, to install a new president and board of directors for the 2016-2017 Lion year.
It is an especially significant year for the Lions, as they will be celebrating their Centennial Year in 2017. Founded in Chicago in 1917, the Lions have grown to become the world’s largest volunteer community service organization, with over 46,000 clubs and 1.5million members in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Their signature projects often involve eye care, vision screening, and eyeglass distribution, as their first convention’s keynote speaker was none other than Helen Keller. She stood before that first group of community minded people, and challenged them to be “the knights of the blind” and do everything possible to prevent blindness in the world.
Picking up the challenge, Lions everywhere still engage in activities that promote sight, as well as healthy lifestyles, good citizenship, and care for the environment.
For the third time since he became a Lion over 15 years ago, Chris King took the helm of the club to guide it through its new year. Turning over the gavel to ‘Lion King’, as he is affectionately known, was outgoing Lion president Tafaimamao Tua- Tupuola, who declared in her farewell speech how wonderful the experience of service has been, and in serving others we grow as people. She said, “Thank you for allowing me to lead, thank you for being a “heart print” in our community, but most importantly, Thank You for the experience of service.”
The list of accomplishments for this Lions Club grows each year, and this past year was no exception. For the first time ever, a “Campus Club” was instituted at the American Samoa Community College, and its first president was none other than Chris and Danielle King’s eldest son, Aiden. The example of community service is one which the King family believes in, as others in the King family are involved in worthy causes and volunteer work, such as the American Samoa Humane Society.
During the past year the Lions participated in four Centennial Year service challenges.
The first, “Sharing the Vision” saw Lions distributing eyeglasses at the Fagatogo Marketplace, and training Lion members and future Campus Lion members on vision acuity screening procedures.
To “Relieve Hunger and Poverty” the Lions took it upon themselves, under the leadership of new Lion member, Tuna Sunia, to collect and distribute clothing and food to low income families during the Christmas holiday season.
“Engaging our Youth” meant involving the newly formed ASCC Campus Lions Club in the 1Day Stand Against Tobacco, and with the support of the ASCC president, they promoted a smoke-free campus for one day.
“Protecting our Environment” was met with a campus-wide clean up during the Stand Against Tobacco Day, again accomplished by the new ASCC Lions Club.
The Lions signature service project, Project Eye Care addressed the high number of cataract cases in the Territory, and succeeded in procuring and donating a “Phacoemulsification” machine for the Eye Clinic at LBJ Medical Center. Valued at over $100K, the machine was made possible by the Lions partnership with Alcon Laboratories, Oregon Health Sciences University, Dr. Mitch Brinks, Dr. Ben Siatu’u and shipping sponsors CSL Cargo Services and Island Cargo Support.
Six “Centennial Members” were inducted into the club during the past year, and as noted, the first of its kind in this Lions constitutional area, the ASCC campus club was chartered with 20 Centennial members.
Lions Club International also gave their highest award, the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, to Chris King, and to Mrs. Olivia Reid-Gillette, for their outstanding support of Lions in this community.
During the evening, which was punctuated with much laughter and good-natured ribbing—also known as “tail twisting— two new Lions were installed into the club, and two were given recognition as long serving members. Chris and Terrie Bullinger were officially welcomed by the club on that night, while Lions Teri Hunkin and Isabel Steffany Hudson, both past presidents and past zone chairs for the club, were each congratulated for 15 years of dedicated service.
Lion King noted in his remarks, “I am excited to once again lead our Pride as we journey into a new year of service. I look forward to working with each of you as we strive to make our community, and the world, a better place for everyone.” Lion volunteers everywhere serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding, while their motto is simply, “We Serve”.
It has been their desire for one hundred years to be a global leader in community and humanitarian service, and they have been tireless throughout those years, in good times, as well as in times of disasters and emergencies, when Lions are often among the first responders rendering comfort and aid.
Charter President Mike Sala, who was off-island for the event, was awarded the Lion of the Year for his never-failing support of the club and its members.