LEO Club Teaches the Value of Giving to the Community

“Where there’s a need, there’s a LEO…that’s the motto for the youngest members of the Lions Clubs International.

The LEOs which stands for leadership, experience and opportunity, are 175,000 members strong in about 145 countries and territories throughout the world. Along with the Lions, LEOs work to serve the communities which they live.

Charter Night for the Tri-Valley LEOs was May 24, 2011. The initiative to start the Club was brought about by Becky Vansickle and Jeff Garver during one of Jeff’s terms as President of the Frazeysburg Lions Club. There are about 25-40 active LEO Club members today.

Since the LEO Club is considered a Middle School Club for Tri-Valley, meetings are held during the school day on the third Monday of each month during the school year. This can sometimes pose a challenge since time is limited to only around 25 minutes, but the kids, LEO Club Advisor Becky Vansickle, and School Advisor Amity Ryan make the most of their meetings.

The LEO Club tries to do activities where they are giving back to the community. “The kids learn the value of helping and doing things for others,” stated Vansickle.

Despite the bad weather and the absence of the Fall Fundraiser, the group has been able to donate time to many community events and organizations. LEOs handed out hot chocolate during Frazeysburg’s Trick-Or-Treat, and made chocolate covered pretzels with Mrs. Ryan which they sold during Valentine’s Day as a fundraiser. They also had the opportunity to help their sponsoring Frazeysburg Lions Club with their Holiday Bazaar as well as at the Frazeysburg Community Dinner by carrying trays and cleaning tables. For the Frazyesburg Lighting and Arrival of Santa, the Club filled bags with candy and handed them out along with cookies and drinks. In addition, the LEOs will be hosting a St. Patricks Day dance with funds raised going towards a community event. Recently the LEOs spent time with the residents at Apple Tree making shamrock emojis. This spring the group plans to plant flowers in the pots at the intersections along Main Street in Dresden and help with the Friends of the Dresden Parks spring clean up as they have in past years.

Members of the LEO Club appreciate the opportunity to volunteer in ways and places that they would not be able to if not part of the LEO Club. “Giving of themselves to better the community is important to each of them and they feel this greatly enriches their lives,” said Mrs. Ryan.

Middle school students who want to join the LEO Club will have the chance to do so at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year following announcements that will be made.