And we make our mark on the lives we touch, the communities we serve and the world we share.
Breathing Life into Service
Ask Fabricio Oliveira about his native Brazil, and he’ll tell you it’s the lungs of the world. An evergreen canopy rimmed in turquoise shoreline. He’s from a small municipality there, the son of fabric merchants with entrepreneurial vigor in their blood.
By age 18, Fabricio was already part of the family business. He would focus on his studies during the week and travel dutifully for work over the weekends. For such a young man, Fab ricio was driven and focused on results.
“I’ve always done things early,” he recalls with a smile.
At just 22 years old, the spirited entrepreneur became a happily married ma n. He and his wife Amariles had both grown up in the village of Catolé do Rocha, where, despite the region’s tropical climate, Fabricio Oliveira was proving to be a man for all seasons.
He was already having professional success—he had a number of business deals under his belt and more on the table. He was experiencing civic success—he had received several appointments to public offce. Yet, something was missing for Fabricio.
Until one evening in 1985.
At the time, Fabricio and Amariles were part of a group of friends who would gather on weekends for different social events. Some of these friends were already Lions members and before long, they asked the Oliveiras to join their local club.
“We couldn’t say no,” he admits. “These were our close friends. And I saw something special in Lions, and an opportunity to give back to the community that had been so good to me.”
It was a gesture as simple as an invitation that brought Fabricio Oliveira and his wife to Lions, once and for all.
“So I became a Lion. And that’s how everything started,” Fabricio recollects.
The call had been answered. A commitment to service set in motion. Now, it was time for the man from Catolé do Rocha to take what he’d learned so far from life and apply it to a new kind of work. His work as a Lion.
The Art of Proactive Positivity
But years ago, when he was just becoming a Lion, there were areas within his hometown struggling to get clean, usable water. So Fabricio and his club took action.
His very first service project focused on the fundraising required to purchase the handmade, ceramic filters needed to deliver fresh water to these local areas in need. These devices brought more than fresh water to these communities — they brought health, well-being and happiness to children and families who desperately needed it.
“It was phenomenal!” Fabricio remembers.
“We saw the joy and the smiles they had when we brought the equipment. I really understood just how powerful service could be, and just how important we are as Lions.”
From that moment, there was no turning back. Only forward momentum. It was as if the gift of service had found him and not the other way around.
As a Lion, Fabricio puts his life experience and business expertise into practice every day. And he finds that he gets as much as he gives.
“I learned a lot. And i am still learning,” he says “Lions is my second university.”
But for the man from Catolé do Rocha, Lions have become a second family too, a global family with such incredible potential and rare positivity that he cherishes, a family he is honored to lead by proactive example.
“Lions have made such a big difference in so many communities, and in so many lives-including my own.”
That’s why Fabrício wants to focus on inviting new members and starting new clubs so even more people can experience the same satisfaction and the same sense of purpose that he has.
Fabrício Oliveira will always be a Lion. And he will always think like an entrepreneur. That’s why he believes that initiative comes to those who take it That we not only have the power to achieve great things, but we also have the responsibility to achieve great things.
And when we apply our talents and skills to transforming our communities, we can leave a lasting mark-our mark-on the world.
Make Your Mark
And leaders know that, through collective action and individual commitment, we can inspire and empower whole communities. Making them healthier and stronger than ever before. And making our mark in the process.
As leaders, we unite people through our clubs, and in our mission of service. We foster collaboration so we can do what others say can’t be done. We embrace innovation so we can bring our bold service vision to life. We give caring people the chance to serve with us so they can lead with us as Lions. And with every new member we bring, we make our mark on the future of service.
Together, we reach out to the people who need us. We amplify voices that would otherwise go unheard. We change lives in ways that only Lions can. And with every life we touch, with every community we serve, we make a mark that will endure, and will never be forgotten.
Making Our Mark Together
Every day provides us with a chance to make our mark as Lions, so take action! Consider these global priorities and how we can all support them to help strengthen Lions and the communities we serve.
GROW TO GIVE MORE
As the need for service grows, we need to grow too. Let’s invite new members and charter new clubs so we can meet our MISSION 1.5 goal, bringing more Lions and more service to our communities as we work toward serving one billion people around the world.
BE STRONGER TOGETHER
Our global foundation works to support our service so we can bring lasting change to the world. So let’s support LCIF to ensure that we’re ready to serve together, whenever and wherever needed.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Let’s embrace our leadership potential to grow our clubs and our service, and to grow as Lions and leaders. Look for new opportunities within your club and community to lead our service forward.
CAPTURE YOUR COMMUNITY’S IMAGINATION
Our work as Lions is extraordinary. Great marketing and public relations can help you tell your story and capture the attention-and imagination-of your community. So promote your service to inspire others to join us as Lions.
The Mark of Great Service
STAY PROACTIVE
The needs in our communities are great, so don’t wait to act. Seek out a need and take action. This is what allows
us to be responsive to our communities and what separates us from the rest.
BRING YOUR VISION TO LIFE
Where others see an obstacle, we see an opportunity. So build your service vision. Rally others around it. Then think boldly, act decisively and bring your service to life.
FOCUS ON POSITIVE OUTCOMES
When we focus on positive outcomes, we achieve the greatest results. Let’s define the change we want to see in our communities so we can start building plans to make it a reality.