3: THE 'LION' MAGAZINE / MEMBERSHIP / MEETINGS

 'THE LION' MAGAZINE  

I still remember the day the first issue of 'The Lion' magazine landed in my letterbox—sent faithfully every month by Lions Clubs International. The design was simple. The language, direct. Yet, as I turned the pages, something stirred. There was a quiet power in its message, an energy that deepened my commitment to the movement. I wasn’t just reading—I was being invited into a brotherhood of service.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Soon after, another kind of message began arriving—the District Governor’s monthly newsletter. It came as a humble bundle of loose sheets, but it carried weight. Through it, I discovered that we weren’t just a club—we were part of a vast network, comprising 33 clubs across Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. Penang itself had two Lions Clubs: the Lions Club of Penang—rightfully the “Host” club—and the Lions Club of George Town. Just knowing this expanded my vision and my pride.

Today, we live in a world where a single mouse click delivers sleek updates and real-time inspiration. But back then, each page felt like a dispatch from a purpose greater than myself.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Back then, the LC of George Town was very selective in its recruitment of members. They have set a strict criterion for acceptance into membership. Not necessarily a bad thing. I remember eminent Lions like Haji Aroff who was the Chief Registrar of Birth & Death Department, Haji Syed Kabeer, the Immigration Department Chief, Choy, the Department Head of the High Court, Abdullah Ali, the Road Transport Department Chief, and Lam Chok Hong, the Manager of Chartered Bank. People in top positions. Today, the mixed strata of positions should be more relevant. Every individual has a talent or a skill set that he or she can contribute.

In the old days, every member was encouraged to buy a table to invite their friends whenever we celebrated the Club’s Charter Anniversary. With forty members, we could easily have a full-capacity crowd at our anniversary dinner every year. We also had little difficulty in raising funds for our service projects. 

CLUB MEETINGS

 

Notice Meeting dd 22/1/1971

We gathered for club meetings twice a month; a board meeting on the 1st Friday and a regular (business) meeting on the 3rd Friday of each month.

A board meeting was conducted according to a specific agenda and normally would last an hour of important discussion among board members, ensuring every decision was our shared vision. Whilst a regular/business meeting would be more of a social gathering. Here, all members attended, and our secretary would report matters and decisions that transpired from the board meeting. The highlight would be a dinner, followed by a fellowship of tail-twisting. It was customary for the club to invite guest speakers from different organizations and government departments to our meetings.  The police would discuss road safety and traffic regulations; the fire officer would address fire safety awareness and conduct a community fire drill. On one occasion, we invited a representative from the Family Planning Association, and the female speaker provided us with complimentary gifts; naturally, this significantly increased club attendance.

Usually, the meetings were held at a hotel.  At times, Dawood Restaurant was a favoured venue as the Tamil-Muslim cuisine was fantastic! There was a year when the club held its meetings on Saturdays in a saloon adjoining the majestic Metropole Hotel. As the name implied, the saloon had swinging doors but no air conditioning. One can imagine a John Wayne character barging his way into the room for a shot of whiskey with the doors flapping back and forth behind him. We also had functions at the sky-touching Sky Room of Hotel Continental and, often, at our members' homes that lent warmth and intimacy to our members.

Our attire for meetings was always formal. Formal attire encouraged the members to be serious in attendance and most certainly added an air of ‘prestige’.

 

Observation:

During the 60s and 70s, Lions took great pride in their membership. Lions demonstrated unwavering loyalty to their commitments, and it was customary for them to adhere to the oath they had taken with utmost importance. We could see a Lion wearing a lapel pin on their shirt during their working hours. In earlier times, the limited number of clubs and members contributed to a close-knit community where everyone was familiar with one another. Even the vehicles they drove could be identified from afar. They had ample free time as there were few activities available for them to participate in. Club attendance consistently ranged from 80% to 100%. They were supportive, and during the Charter Anniversary, each member willingly took up a table to invite their family and guests.