About us

Helensburgh Lions Club was chartered in 1979 with over 40 members, whose names are on our Charter Document. Our sponsoring Club was Engadine, and we started off being in the same Lions District as Engadine and other Sydney Clubs.

Then, the Head Office in America changed the District boundaries, so that there was a more even distribution of Clubs in each District. Now, we are in the Southernmost District which stretches from Merrylands to the Victorian border, taking in the A.C.T.. Fortunately, the Districts are broken down into Zones, so we are part of Zone 1, which includes Austinmer-Thirroul, Corrimal & Woonona-Bulli as well.

What is Lions?

It is an acronym for Liberty, Integrity, and Our Nations Safety, and was founded in 1947 by an American named Melvin Jones. It has since grown into the World’s largest Service Organisation with Clubs in almost 200 countries throughout the world (yes, we are bigger than Rotary!)

What do we do?

Each Club is its own entity, and is run according to its environment. We are a registered charity and all members are covered under a worldwide Insurance cloak. That is why we pay fees, to cover the expenses of insurance, which is such an item these days.

We also receive publications from both our District and our Multiple District. (Multiple District 201 means Australia, 202 is New Zealand).

There are annual District, Multiple District and International Conventions, which any Lion can attend.

Locally, we have contributed to many things. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so we have plenty of fun! Our membership has fluctuated as so many people move on, and we now have only one remaining Charter member whose name is on that initial Charter!

The good thing about that is that we have not become stagnant and are always open to new ideas.

Locally, we have sponsored a Hearing Dog for an Otford resident, put the original playground equipment in Charles Harper Park (and built the fence & put in the meter box – then Council took it over; since then we have only put a roof on the bandstand and put in the coal-mining skips), put the original sunshade over the toddlers’ pool, sponsored Girl Guides, musicians (including Auzzie Bred who won their section at Tamworth Music Festival), scholars, and other young people who have gone overseas (remember Natasha Sturgess?), built and consecrated the Park at Stanwell Tops and hold an annual ANZAC Day service there, built the bus shelter at Otford school, assisted all Rural Fire Services in the District, participated in Illawarra for Drought and honoured a local citizen for running this project, taken part in Clean-Up Australia Day & Rise & Shine initiatives – the list goes on, with our annual Fair, and assistance to bushfire victims who lost property during Black Christmas.

While Lions are a non-religious, non-political organization, this does not mean that there cannot be Lions Clubs in both State and Federal Parliaments – there are.

Helen Keller challenged all Lions to become “Knight of the Blind” so we have assisted in this field, as well as many others.

We tend not to “blow our own trumpet” and often wear the tag of the world’s best-kept secret, but when push comes to shove, you can guarantee that there are Lions there, quietly doing some of the most humanitarian things possible.

Join Helenburgh Lions Club

Lions have been a part of the Australian community since 1947.
Helping to serve the people without promise or want of reward.

The silent workers, working for the greater good.
Lions are people just like you!

To Join a Lions Club, is by Invitation, but applications are encouraged from all members of the community.

Membership is open to men and women over the age of 18 years and of good moral character and reputation.

For more information please contact secretary - libby cross 4294 2373

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 arises 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 service performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
• Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state and my community, and to give to 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.