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"Be faithful, loyal, staunch and true,

That is the Lions' creed.

Be up and ready at all times,

To do a kindly deed."

-- Lions' Hymn

Helen Keller challenged the Lions International, the largest service organization in the world, at their 1925 convention to become "Knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness."

The Pleasant Garden Lions Club has taken up this challenge by becoming servants in our community as they rise to every occasion where there is a need. They epitomize the Lions motto, "We Serve."

The original Lions Club in Pleasant Garden was chartered in 1954 under the sponsorship of the Greensboro Lions Club.

The surviving charter members are Charles Muckenfus and Phil Pearce. Some other members from the original group who live in the Pleasant Garden community are Riley Clapp, Richard Fields and Gene Kimel.

This group of men worked diligently in our community as they carried out many projects to benefit the visually impaired.

Folding in the '70s, this club was re-chartered in 1989 under the leadership of David Cranfill Jr. After moving to Pleasant Garden in 1986, David thought it would be great to have a Lions Club in his community. Though David was a member of the Julian Lions Club and zone chairman for District 31-D at the time, he worked with Jamie Lockhart and others to restart our Pleasant Garden Lions Club.

On May 13, 1989, Cranfill Jr. became the first president of the newly re-chartered club with 25 eager members ready to roll up their sleeves and help others.

One of the first services the re-chartered club offered was selling Christmas trees in a lot next to the Pleasant Garden Drug Store.

Broom sales were held door to door, benefit suppers were organized, and the first Pleasant Garden Challenge Golf Tournament was started. Our Lions supported Katrina relief through Lions Clubs International. Students benefited from eye appointments and eyeglasses.

When women became members, they brought potential for strengthening clubs with extra hands to help in our community. This year is the 20th anniversary for women in the Lions Club. Almost 45 percent of Pleasant Garden Lions Club members are women. During the Pleasant Garden Lions' first reunion, U.S. Rep. Howard Coble told our Lions, "Lionism is a gift."

As each Lion member shares his individual gifts, our community receives a "Lions Share" of caring, dedication and endless enthusiasm and love that enhances our town.

This year, with community support, the Lions contributed $16,100 to "Fun for All," a project at Hagan-Stone Park that helps to provide playground equipment for disabled children.

In addition, Karen and Johnny Tart donated 50 flags in honor of the Vietnam veterans in our area. After a dedication ceremony, sponsored by our Lions, flags were placed in yards along Pleasant Garden Road.

The club has also:

• put up and decorated a town Christmas tree, donated from Dale Pruitt's Christmas Tree Farm
• helped with the annual Pleasant Garden Christmas parade and sold sausage biscuits, hot coffee and cocoa
• assisted three PG school families at Christmas
• held two candidate forums
• held broom sales at Walmart
• assisted the PG Veterans Memorial Dedication Committee with the dedication ceremony
• along with the PG Fire Department, town of Pleasant Garden and American Red Cross, sponsored the Vision Van and Town Health Fair
• assisted a student with eye exam, lenses and frames
• given money for a woman's cataract surgery
• helped a family pay for their young son's eye damage, care and restoration
• collected recycled eyeglasses and hearing aids for the North Carolina Lions Foundation
• helped replace required sports goggles for a Southeast Middle student
• participated in the Kool-Aid project for our soldiers in Iraq.

Recent awards and honors include:

• Glenda McGinnis, Melvin Jones Fellows Award, highest award from Lions International
• Bill Greene and Ken McGinnis, Jack Stickley Fellows Award, N.C. Lions Foundations honor
• Sharon Greene, 100 percent Secretary Award for diligence in filing international and state reports
• Greene, club president, Humanitarian and White Cane District chairperson.

The new 2008-09 officers are Bill Greene, president; Glenda McGinnis, first vice president; Judy Wyrick, second vice president; Sharon Greene, secretary; Cranfill, treasurer; Bob Chafee, tail twister and club photographer; Brooks Hunt, chaplain; Jamie Lockhart, membership chairman; and Ken McGinnis, parliamentarian.

It has been said, "No man stands taller than the man that stoops to help someone."

So if you have some extra time on your hands, love in your heart and a desire to help others, the Pleasant Garden Lions Club needs you.

Jane Kimel is a retired teacher and a lifelong resident of Pleasant Garden.