Dallas Founder Lions celebrate 109th birthday with service and partnership
Dallas Founder Lions celebrate 109th birthday with service and partnership
The Dallas Founder Lions Club marked its 109th year ofservice in a way that truly reflected our mission: combining fellowship,
learning, and action.
Our program featured Chelsea Zeno, Director of Volunteersand Community Outreach at Vogel Alcove, a Dallas nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families overcome the trauma of homelessness. Chelsea shared how Vogel provides therapeutic early childhood education, after-school programs,
mental health support, health services, and family case management, which are all designed to give homeless children stability and a foundation for success. For many in the room, her presentation opened our eyes to just how many young children in Dallas experience homelessness and how critical Vogel’s servicesnare for both kids and their parents.
But this was not just any meeting. In the spirit of service,we also turned our time together into a hands-on project. With tables lined with crates of food items, members and guests formed an assembly line and packed 200 “Bye Bye Bags” — snack packs designed to give children a little
extra nourishment and comfort to take with them as they leave Vogel and return to their shelters. Each bag included a protein, fruit, crackers, fruit snacks, and juice, carefully labeled with expiration dates and sealed with care.
The bags were delivered that afternoon to Vogel Alcove,where they will be distributed daily to children in need. It was a simple act of kindness with a big impact, and a reminder that service can be built into the rhythm of our club in new and creative ways. As we celebrate 109 years, Dallas Founder Lions continues to honor its legacy as one of the oldest Lions Clubs in the world while embracing fresh opportunities to serve. From programs that bring community leaders to our lunch meetings to service projects that meet immediate needs in Dallas, our members are committed to living the Lions motto: We Serve.
Guests are always welcome to join us. We meet on the firstand third Friday of each month at 11:45 AM at El Centro College in downtown Dallas. Come be part of the history, the fellowship, and the service that make the Dallas Founder Lions Club unique.
Dallas Founder Lions President Jeff Strater and 3rd VP Colleen Martin join Chelsea Zeno of Vogel Alcove to present 200 Bye Bye Bags packed by club members for homeless children in Dallas.