The Frenship LEO Club members embodied the Frenship Way at the Lubbock Lion’s Club annual Pancake Festival. These students have a passion for serving and joined the Frenship LEO Club to further impact the community with the aid of the international organization.
LEO is a youth organization a part of the Lions Club International. LEO stands for Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity, and through the organization, students will be able to make a positive impact during rewarding community service projects.
Students in the LEO Club learn to serve in many ways. They start by serving in different areas like Caleb's closet, kid fish, pancake festival, grub farm, rose deliveries, eyeglass donations, and more. While volunteering, students learn to manage their time, which develops their leadership and organizational skills. After volunteering LEOs start taking initiative and leading groups of other LEOs and bringing in new members.
Each year the Lubbock Lions Club hosts the Pancake Festival and donates all profits to over 30 charities. Recipients include the Adult Eyeglass Program, Boy Scout Troop 157, LISD Eyeglasses for Children, Children’s Miracle Network, Meals on Wheels, The Salvation Army, Sick Children’s Clinic of Lubbock, YWCA Adaptive Aquatics Program and the Texas Lions Camp for children with special needs.
At the festival this year, the Frenship LEO Club members were eager to jump in and clean tables between guests. They stocked the butter and syrup, as well as administered temporary tattoos, sold popcorn, and guided consumers through the line.
Two of the Frenship LEO members said that their favorite part was being able to help people and meet new people. Shanna Smith, an FHS teacher and LEO's Club sponsor, stated the club enjoys impacting attendees and experiencing the positive atmosphere at the festival.
“I love getting to see the people that come in, their smiles do bring me lots of joy,” said Smith. “Some of our officers' favorite parts include getting to meet other volunteers and making connections, seeing all the happy faces in the community, and of course the pancakes”
The Frenship LEO Club is sponsored by the South Plains Lion's Club of Lubbock which helps to guide the group. With the leadership of the local group and of many others, the students learn qualities for life outside of school that are beneficial when moving forward to a college, career, or just life in general.
“We are very fortunate to have these mentors in our lives,” said Smith. “I get told every year, how our group is always hardworking and respectful, they truly represent what I want to see our Frenship Tigers look like daily. It makes me very proud.”