About Leo Club :)

The 1st Leo Club was founded in 1957 by Jim Graver, the coach of the Abington High School, Pennsylvania baseball team. He was an active member of the Glenside Lions Club. The club was founded with the help of William Ernst, another local Lion. 

It adopted the high school's colors of maroon and gold. The club also created the acronym Leadership, Equality, Opportunity for the word Leo. The word equality was later changed to experience.In 1964 the Leo Club program became a sponsored program of the Lions district. It grew beyond Pennsylvania and the United States of America. By 1967 the program had grown to over 200 clubs in 18 countries and become an official youth program of Lions International. In the following year, the Leo program spread rapidly, more than quadrupling in size, to 918 clubs in 48 countries by the end of 1968.

The stated purpose of Leo Clubs is:

To promote service activities among the youth of the community which will develop the individual qualities of Leadership, Experience and Opportunity. To unite its members in friendship, fellowship and mutual understanding.

Leo Clubs encourage youths to develop leadership qualities by participating in social service activities. They are dependent on a Lions Club to sponsor and initiate a Leo Club. Leo Club members are addressed as "Leos." They conduct various projects in the fields of health care, elders, children, differently abled, literacy and education, and self-development. Leos can raise funds by conducting fund-raising projects. They can conduct projects with another Leo Club, sponsoring Lions club, or with an outside organization. Leo Clubs are sponsored by Lions clubs and comprise an official program of the Lions clubs international.

The Leo Club Objective is:

"...to provide the youth of the world (with) an opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively, as responsible members of the local, national and international community."

  

There are 2 club tracks in the Leo Club program.

Alpha Leo Clubs are those that consist of members between the age of 12, the Leo Club program's minimum age, and the age of majority for the region the club is based in. 

Omega Leo Clubs are those that consist of members between the age of consent of the club's region, and an age determined by the Lions District.

The Leo program's maximum age of membership is 30 years of age, though it is at the discretion of the Lion's district to enforce younger upper-age limits for Omega clubs. There are no major differences in the operations or logistics of Alpha and Omega Leo Clubs.

Leo Emblem

The Emblem of the Leo Clubs shall be two Gold Lion’s heads facing outward from each other divided by a vertical maroon bar with the letters LEO in gold from top to bottom. The emblem is highly significant. It represents a Lion, looking in every direction for an opportunity to give unselfish service. Symbolically, the lion faces both past and future-proud of thee past and confident of the future.

The Colors : Maroon and Gold

Maroon stands for loyalty to country, friends to one’s self and integrity to mind and heart. Also for strength, courage and tireless dedication to a cause.

 Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life and generosity in mind, heart and purse towards humanity.

Leo Motto

L - LEADERSHIP  |  E - EXPERIENCE |  O - OPPORTUNITY

Leadership – Leo’s develop skills as organizer’s, time manager’s and motivator's of their peer's.

Experience – Leo’s learn the importance of co-operation through community service.

Opportunity – Membership in a Leo Club provides young people with a chance to excel to develop character traits and to receive recognition for their contribution to the community.