Monrovia – The General Manager of Aureus Mining, Debar Allen has called on officials of Monrovia Ducor Lions Club to improve their lives by taking on positive initiatives in the society.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
He said members of the club should imitate Melvin Jones, a 38-year-old Chicago business leader, who reached out to members of his local business club encouraging them to reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities and the world.
Allen recalled the Lions club was formed from Jones whose interest was to serve humanity beyond business.
He spoke at the installation and induction of a new cadre of officers over the weekend.
Those inducted include: Evelyn Weeks- President, Rachell Yabah Duobah-1st Vice President, James Wallace- 2nd Vice President, Christiania Brooks Kojo, 3rd Vice President, and Lucrecia Thompson Anderson- Treasure, Bhatur Holmes Varmah, – Tamer, Mendoakar Lolema- Tail twister, Sorsor Kpadeh-membership chairperson and Momo Cyrus- program chairperson.
Others include John Wangolo- Director, Kathleen Makor- Director, and Dorbor Hagba- Director.
“Within three years, Lions became an international organization.”
“Since then, Lion Clubs have earned high marks for both integrity and transparency and are a well-run organization with a steady vision, a clear mission, and a long – and proud – history. You must be proud!”
Inspired by Jones’ action and history – “I want to speak a little about Service to others and because he was a leader and considering that we all are leaders, hopefully inspired with the passion to serve others, much our focus shall be on servant leadership.”
He said Lion members are generally not built to let down their guards but rather expend their energy and resources or even care for those outside of “our immediate families”.
“We are constantly reminded that “self-preservation is the first law of nature”. But Melvin Jones knew differently.”
“His biography tells us that the Business Circle, the club within which he was a member, was one of many such Clubs at the time whose sole objective was to promote the financial interest of its members.
“The membership of these clubs consisted of powerful and influential men. Jones, being a servant-leader, must have understood that the easiest path to growth and personal influence is service to others.
Genuine, un-manipulated service to others creates a following that is based on trust and love, teaching similar values to its recipients with the strongest possibility of continuity in caring for others. “
Aureus Mining General Manager said: “Contrary to the myth that great leaders are people with commanding presence, educated at elite schools, powerful and very influential, recent studies show that the best form of leadership is “leading from the middle” or leadership of service.
“Today, you are proud members of this esteemed Organization because Melvin Jones asked a simple and world-changing question – what if people put their talents to work improving their communities.”
“Almost 100 years later, Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization, with more than 1 million members in more than 46,000 clubs and countless stories of Lions acting on the same simple idea: let’s improve our communities.”
Meanwhile the President Evelyn Weeks commended those who came and said her leadership will improve the membership of the club.
Weeks said her leadership will continue to foster and care for those who are in need as the Lion code mandates.