Brandywine Lions Club About Us

Lions Clubs - The Beginning

In 1917, a Chicago insurance agent named Melvin Jones convinced his luncheon club, the Business Circle of Chicago, that it should ally itself with other independent clubs to form a national organization that would be dedicated not only to networking for business and social purposes, but to the improvement of the community as a whole. At its first national convention, Helen Keller challenged the Lions Clubs to make issues of poor vision and blindness its primary concern.

Lions International

Today, our community service has broadened widely, while at the same time Vision issues remain our key concern. Lions Clubs International has become the largest and most effective community service organization in the world, with more than 1.4 million members comprising over 40,000 clubs in over 180 countries.

About the Brandywine Lions Club

The Brandywine Lions Club was chartered originally as the Brandywine-Waldorf Lions Club on January 11, 1944. Waldorf separated in 1947 to form the Waldorf Lions Club. The Brandywine Lions Club was incorporated in 1973. The Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation was incorporated in 1982. The Foundation is a non-profit corporation under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and therefore is tax exempt. All contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible.

The Brandywine Lions Club has been devoted to the task of helping the needy in the Brandywine and surrounding areas. This in accordance with the motto of Lions Club International:

“We Serve”

And we at Brandywine

Are Proud Of It !!!

The Brandywine Lions Club, through the Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation, Inc., serves the needy in many ways. Here are just a few:

-- At the International level the Brandywine Lions support programs such as the Lions Clubs International, Campaign Sight First II, and Leader Dog Foundations.

-- At the District level we have built and maintained a cabin for handicapped children (blind, deaf, and diabetic) at Lions Camp Merrick, in Southern Maryland, a summer camp on the Potomac River and provide ongoing support to the Camp’s operation and development. We also support the Lions Community Outreach & Low Vision Research Foundations, and the Wilmer Institute.

In the Brandywine and adjoining areas we provide:

-- Christmas Food Baskets for 100+ families annually and help the local food banks.

-- Over $150,000 in the last 10 years for college scholarship assistance.

-- Provide grants to local schools and recognize excellence in the local teachers.

-- Provide support to local non profits, such as Community Support Systems, so they can advocate for the needy.

-- Help local needy individuals with medical, food, eye glasses, etc.

Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation Inc. fundraising:

-- Our biggest event and money maker is the Craft Fair and Home Shows. We have recently added the Home Show to enrich the event. They are always held on the first weekend in May and October. See our Craft Fair page for more information.

-- We have a Bluegrass Festival in the spring.

-- Hall rentals for parties of up to 125 at a very reasonable rate.

-- We also rent our outdoor facilities to clubs, churches, groups, and businesses, for large gatherings.

-- Flea Markets.

-- Donations from the public like you!!

The Brandywine Lions Club is supported administratively by Club members through their dues, Lions only fund raisers, and donations.

The Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation, Inc. has been very fortunate in that we have had excellent and far sighted leadership in the past. Proof of which is the 54 acre Brandywine Lions Club Park we own with a meeting hall and various other capital improvements. Located in Cheltenham, MD (which is contiguous with Brandywine, MD’s northern side) with about a half mile of frontage on north bound MD Rt. 301. This facility and its location are ideally suited for fund raising and community events. It is the hope of the membership that with these assets the Foundation will be able for years to come to raise the funds needed to support the many that need help locally and around the world.

Brandywine Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, Multiple District 22

Sub-District C

Region 5

Zone 2

If you feel you would like to serve the needy in your community and in the world without any monetary gain but much gain in spirit and in heaven; contact any Lion. We are looking for a few good folks.

About 60 Lions Clubs are under the organizational guidance of District 22-C, which encompasses Washington, DC, and the Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince Georges and St. Mary's. The Brandywine Lions Club consists of a Board of Directors, who are responsible for the overall direction of the Club and the Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation, Inc. Members have an active role in all Club activities through their role on various committees and groups. All money raised from the public for our service work is used exclusively for that purpose. Fund raising expenses are held to a minimum, and all internal expenses of the Club are borne by the members. The Brandywine Lions Club is community-minded, service-oriented and responsible.

Lions Clubs International Objectives

TO CREATE and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.

TO PROMOTE the principles of good government and good citizenship.

TO TAKE an active interest in the civic, cultural, social, and moral welfare of the community.

TO UNITE the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship, and mutual understanding.

TO PROVIDE a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest, provided, however, that partisan politics, and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.

TO ENCOURAGE service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, public works and private endeavor.

Lions Code of Ethics

TO SHOW my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.

TO SEEK success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.

TO REMEMBER that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another's; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.

WHENEVER a doubt rises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.

TO HOLD friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the services performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.

ALWAYS bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state and my community, and to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.

TO AID others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.

TO BE CAREFUL with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.

Brandywine Lions Club, Inc

Home of the Brandywine Lions Charities Foundation, Inc. and the Brandywine Lions Club, Inc.