The newest club at PHUHS, The Leo (Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity) Club, had its induction ceremony Tuesday May 18. Forty-five students were inducted as founding members of this new chapter of Lions International,an adult volunteer organization of which Leo Club is the youth branch.
The Leo Club was organized by President Jasmine Naik, Vice-President Jake Leichtenshlag, and Ms. Laura Tabajdi. Mrs. Rosa Muñoz co-sponsors the club. These students and teachers were inspired by the Lions International volunteer organization, which specializes in helping people in the handicapped community, specifically those who suffer from visual impairments. This is partly because in 1925, Helen Keller attended the Lions International Convention and challenged members to fight against blindness. They accepted the challenge and have since concentrated on sight programs aimed at preventable blindness.
“Leo Club in general helps the handicapped community, so that includes all disabilities, but Lions International in Palm Harbor focuses more on helping the visually impaired, so that will be the main focus of the our Leo Club as well,” President Jasmine Naik said.
Lions International is the world’s largest service organization, with more than 1.3 million members. Leo Club also extends into 139 countries with more than 144,000 members. Members here at Palm Harbor will take part in fundraisers, such as bake sales and car washes, to generate money which will be donated to several different service projects.
“I think that Leo Club will get more students interested in serving our community while having fun as a group of their fellow students. By being involved with a service club, students will gain leadership skills and also make a huge difference in our community,” Naik said.
This team effort began at the induction ceremony, where the students and Lions members came together to begin a partnership in their worthwhile cause. The Palm Harbor Lions executive officers inducted the officers for the Leo Club and then inducted the students. Each member then received a certificate and pin and signed the official Leo Club charter.
“I’m glad we have such dedicated members that came out to support Leo Club at the induction ceremony. I’m really excited about next year’s plans for Leo’s Club; we have chosen two organizations in Kenya and in India that we hope to support with fundraisers,” Vice-President Jake Leichtenshlag said.
The Leo members will start their volunteering this summer with several different opportunities. If students are interested in joining, they may become a member in the following school year.