Local youth, ages 12-18, sought for new LEO Club

MORRISBURG–There’s a new club in town!

Calling all youth, ages 12 to 18 years. The Morrisburg and District Lions Club is in the process of establishing a LEO Club and is looking for youth who are interested in “making a difference” in their community.

“We have six members now, and we’ll take on as many as we can get,” says Lions Club president Keith Robinson. “We are setting up a LEO Club to provide the youth in our community the opportunity to get involved in volunteerism.”

Membership in a LEO Club also provides its members the opportunity to achieve their volunteer (educational) hours and is a valuable credit on a work resume.

“The club will provide youth the opportunity to gain leadership experience,” says Lion Judy L’Heureux who is the Leo’s Advisor. “We are also laying the foundation for youth to become a Lion by instilling in them the values of the Lions.”

Also involved with the young club are Robinson, and Lions Glen Stewart and Brenda Loucks.

Although the Leo’s are a branch of the Morrisburg and District Lions, the young club will “run their own show,” says Robinson. “They will have their own executive and their own money.”

“We will be there just to guide them,” says L’Heureux.

The LEO Club won’t be ‘all work and no play’. “It’s going to be as fun as they want it to be. They will get to choose their own projects and come up with their own fun events to support these projects,” says L’Heureux.

In addition, Leos can be involved with events run by the Lions, such as their car rallies, the Tubies  and the Antiquefest to name just a few.

The Winchester Lions Club has had a Leos Club for the last four or five years, and the Lions here have been in touch with Winchester Lion, Dwayne Holmes who has passed on his experiences.

Currently, six youth have expressed interest in being a Leo and those six got together on February 17 for a presentation given by Holmes.

“One of the youth told me she wasn’t sure if she was interested, but after listening to Dwayne speak, she is really pumped,” says L’Heureux.

“It would be really nice to get it (LEO Club) going,” says Robinson. “This is not high pressure. They will do their own thing. As a group they will vote on who or what they want to assist and decide on their projects.”

In addition, Leos will be paid for their work at the canteen in the Morrisburg Arena and their earnings will go back to the club.

The Leos will meet twice a month. They are currently meeting on Wednesday nights at Lakeshore Drive United Church Hall, courtesy of the church. The next meeting is Wednesday, March 3 beginning at 7 p.m. Any youth interested in becoming a Leo can simply show up to the meeting. For more information parents/youth can call L’Heureux at 613-543-0014 or Keith Robinson at 613-543-3338.

L’Heureux explained that once the club is officially established and an executive is elected, the members will choose their preferred meeting nights. As well, the Leo’s are looking for a permanent meeting place that will be wheelchair accessible.

LEO Clubs share the universal bylaws and follow similar meeting, fundraising and project leading patterns of their parent Lions Clubs.