New club kicks off, Trojan-sized
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 28, 2003
With the presentation of the Lions Club charter Tuesday night, the Troy State University Trojans Lion Club became the largest campus club in the world.
BeforeTuesday night, the largest campus club in the United States was the Lubbock Tech Raiders University Lions Club in Texas with 48 members. The largest campus club in the world was the Hathras University Lions Club in India with 155 members.
The TSU Trojans Lions Club accepted the challenge to become the largest campus club in the world and responded with 201 members.
Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., chancellor of the Troy State University System told the Lions that, as president of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, he developed a keen appreciation for Lions International and their dedication to the organization's sight program.
In 1927, Helen Keller challenged the Lions Club International to get involved in a sight program and they responded overwhelming.
"Helen Keller said you must think right before you act right," Hawkins said and expressed appreciation to the men and women of Lions International who think and act right in their high regard for humankind.
Hawkins challenged the members of the newly chartered campus Lions Club to have a vision that will make life better for people at home and around the world.
The TSU Trojans Lions Club is unique in another way. This club has members from 13 different countries, the United States, Ireland, Turkey, South Korea, People's Republic of China, Jamaica, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, India, Armenia, Tasmania, Ukraine and Kenya.
Hawkins said 60 different countries are represented on the TSU campus and he expects to see the number of countries represented in the TSU Trojans Lions Club grow.
Another uniqueness of the TSU Trojans Lions Club is that the club has adopted its own Greek letters for Lions Club International (LCI). Lambda Chi Iota is Greek for LCI and the club has tee shirts available to any club member.
The Brundidge Lions Club is the sponsoring club for the newly chartered TSU club.
Charter officers are Ozge Batmaz, president; Lantice Moultry, first vice president; Lydia Messick, second vice president; Victoria Smith, third vice president; Paula Tillman, secretary; Sherily Folsom, treasurer; Jessica Madison, Lion Tamer and Anthony McClain, Tail Twister.