(haipo) After the activities of the "Ariot Carmel" club of the Lions organization in Haifa declined and closed during the Corona period, the club returned to activity about a year ago and is now calling on residents of Haifa and the surrounding area to join, volunteer and influence the community in which they live.
The Lions organization has been operating in Israel since 1960. Today, there are about 700 volunteers in Israel, members of 27 clubs throughout the country, as part of an international organization that has about 1,440,000 volunteers worldwide. The organization's goal is simple and clear: to identify needs in the community and act to provide a solution. One of the oldest clubs is the "Ariot Carmel" in Haifa, which returned to renewed activity last year after being closed during the Corona period.
Since then, the club has been working to expand the circle of members and volunteers and rebuild broad community activity in the city. The initiative is led by Dudu Gilboa, Commissioner of Lions Israel, who seeks to turn the club in Haifa into a significant center of social and volunteer activity.
"Lions is an international organization that currently has about 440 million volunteers around the world, who do everything for the community," says Gilboa. "The idea is that in every city where there is a club, it works for the benefit of the local community and identifies its needs. In Haifa, for example, there are many hospitals, an elderly population, people with disabilities, children who need help, and more, and we have the ability to reach these people and help them."
Not just volunteering – being part of a team
The activities of the "Lions of Carmel" are not limited to one project or one population. The club operates and plans to operate in a number of areas, according to the needs that arise from the field and from professional organizations in the city.
Among other things, the club's volunteers assist Parkinson's patients in individual and group activities, work for Holocaust survivors in collaboration with "Amach", assist people with visual impairments through the Center for the Blind in Haifa, and are involved in the "Friend for Education" project, which provides individual and group tutoring for children whose academic performance was affected by the war.
Alongside these, activities are planned with other associations and organizations in the city, including "Social Justice", "Lev-Has" and the Entrepreneurship Space in Haifa. The club also examines the needs of the community with the welfare authorities in the Haifa municipality and works to expand the circle of sufferers. One of the special projects that is in progress is the "Leo Omega Special Club", which aims to establish a club for people with high-functioning special needs. The idea is not only to help them, but to allow them to be an active part of the community, people who give and contribute and not just receive.
"We want people with special needs to feel like they are part of the community," explains Gilboa. "Recognizing their self-worth is very important. We want to provide them with a place where they can express their abilities and contribute to others."
Dozens of volunteer opportunities
One of the advantages of Lions, according to Gilboa, is the wide variety of volunteer opportunities. "There are dozens of types of volunteering in each club. Everyone can find a place where they feel they can contribute according to their abilities, their time, and the areas that interest them."
The scope of volunteering is also not uniform. There are volunteers who dedicate a lot of time to the activity every day, and others who come once a week or participate in specific projects. "We are not looking for people who can volunteer a certain number of hours," says Gilboa. "Everyone gives what they can. We are looking for people whose motto is to contribute to the community and also be part of a group."
And this is perhaps one of the elements that makes the club unique: Along with its community service activities, Lions is also a social club. Club members meet, go on trips and weekends, participate in joint activities, and even travel abroad together. Membership in the group creates new social connections, but alongside the enjoyment, there is also a clear commitment for each member to make a contribution to the community.
"When you give to others, you are given to yourself"
Gilboa, a former lieutenant colonel in the IDF, a graduate of engineering and manufacturing and a master's degree in business administration, is intimately familiar with the world of volunteering. He is a member of the council of the IDF Disabled Organization and was formerly a member of Rotary. He currently serves as a commissioner for Lions Israel.
According to him, volunteering is not just an action done for the benefit of others.
"The volunteering you contribute to others is what you contribute to yourself, mentally and spiritually. The fact that you are on the giving side is the most important thing. You feel like you are doing something meaningful, and at the same time you find a great group of people."
The volunteer work of Lions members is also recognized. Every year, volunteers across the country receive certificates of appreciation, and some even receive city recognition. "Dozens of our volunteers receive various awards," says Gilboa. "It's exciting, but for us, the real recognition is seeing things happening in the city thanks to people who chose to donate their time."
The goal: to return the "Lions of Carmel" to the center of Haifa's activities.
For Gilboa, returning to activity in Haifa is just the beginning. After the club restarted its activities and recruited new members last year, the goal is to continue to significantly increase the circle of volunteers. "We want to return Lions to being a significant force in Haifa," he says. "We want to reach as many people as possible, identify the needs of the community and provide them with a response. The more members and volunteers we have, the more we can do."
The appeal is to women and men, young and old, workers and retirees, to anyone who feels they want to do something good for the city they live in. "You don't have to be a special person to volunteer," Gilboa concludes. "You just have to want to give. Everyone can find their own way to help. And in the end, you discover that you're not just giving to others, you're receiving in return."
The "Ariot Carmel" club invites residents of Haifa and the surrounding area to join its ranks, take part in social and community activities, and be part of a group that chooses to turn the desire to help into real action.
For details and to join, please contact the "Lions of Carmel" club. Lions Israel By phone - 0544535237