By C C Pung
Justice of Peace
A picture is better than a thousand words. That may be debatable, but it certainly hides many stories.
A bunch of Lions Club of KK Host lions ĝòt together for the customary monthly fellowship and celebrate the birthdays of members.
This time of year, we celebrated with two octogerians in Past Governor Eugene Lee (seated right) and Past President Tan Chong Hong (left) .
At centre is our club president Dr Devadas.
Lion Anthony Lim (standing, with baseball cap), a seasoned motivator and speaker, broke ice with his humorous take on living a fulfilled life.
‘Open your heart. Don’t harbour hate, lest your countenance resembles ‘rupa kuburan’ (grave yard),” he urged, eliciting much laughter.
Somehow, likening a facial expression to a cemetery sounds funnier in Malay.
On a more sombre note, this photo reminds me of ageing, both of the members and the club.
KK Host is 60 next year and, behind the smiles, concerns are being raised about getting enough members to take up the 15 positions in the Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Nominations are being invited. It’s lukewarm. The new Board takes office in July.
Lions have been around for over a century.
It has over one million members worldwide. Membership has stagnated just as being experienced by KKHost.
Globally, Organised volunteerism’ has declined. So is it in Malaysia.
Reading some studies, the message seems to indicate that humanitarianism isn’t exactly dead.
Surveys indicated that ‘no time’ has been the common reason for unwillingness or inability to join organised volunteer activities, implying that individuals are not entirely shunning volunteerism but are instead doing so ad hoc,; personally or with family or likeminded friends.
Volunteerism among university graduates and young people in general is declining noticeably everywhere.
The idea that volunteering requited taking up a club membership, pay subscription, have mandated meetings and being strait-jacketed by rules and procedures are clearly having problems appealing to young people who are busy with their dreams and staying abreast with social media.
I think that like the rest of humanity, Lions Clubs International is still searching for assurance towards relevance, continuity and the perpetuity of what is a pure spirit of Lionism.
The world is in transition. Human race is in transition.
We know we need to adjust, change or go into oblivion.
But we are designed to desire to remain with the familiar. Resist change until we can’t any longer.
This happy photo will become memory, forgotten. That’s inevitable.
Surely there are ways to keep the good work of community service go on and on.
But we shall prevail. Won’t we?
