THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LIONS CLUBS

“WE SERVE”

EXCERPT FROM LIONS 37TH ANNUAL CONVENTION MINUTES

New York City, New York, USA July 7-10, 1954

MOTTO CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED

INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR GAMMON:

“President S. A. and fellow Lions:

This is indeed one of the most happy occasions of my life, that I am privileged to announce the results of two long, hard tedious years of work on the part of your International Board of Directors in choosing and selecting a motto that we thought was truly indicative and characteristic of our great and wonderful organization and what we stand for and what we do.

After considering over 6,000 mottoes, submitted from the Four Corners of the world and every State in the Union, we have selected what we consider to be an outstanding motto that we can be proud of something that we can use from now on.  And I give to you at this time the winning motto which was submitted by eight individual Lions Club Member of the United States , two from Canada , one from Hawaii, which is indicative of the truly international scope that this motto has taken.

According to the contest rules the member submitting the winning motto with the earliest postmark would be declared the winner --- and the winner of the contest is Lion D. A. Stevenson of Fonthill Ontario, Canada .

(Applause)

The Motto is “WE SERVE.”

Lion Stevenson is not here today to receive the award but we have in his stead a Past President of the Fonthill Ontario Lions Club, Lion Gib Gordon and I will present the award to Lion Gordon.

I wish to present to Lion Gordon, on behalf of Lions International this beautiful and outstanding award so that he can take it back to his member in Canada and present it to him with the compliments of this great and wonderful International organization. 

Congratulations to you and to Lion Stevenson.

(Applause)

LION GIB GORDON:

President Dodge, International Director Gammon, Lionesses and fellow Lions. 

It is certainly a thrilling moment for the Fonthill Ontario Lions Club and I am proud to act as proxy for my good friend and fellow Lion. Doug Stevenson unfortunately could not be here but he has sent a message to you which at this time I would like to read:

“Fellow Lions, in thanking you most sincerely for this most unexpected award I wish to emphasize that the credit goes first to our splendid little Fonthill Ontario Lions Club whose inspiring example of devoted, selfless service to its community gave me the motto “We Serve” practically automatically. And secondly to those same worldwide service activities of our great body, Lions International.

Lions, I greatly regret that a previous appointment in England precludes my presence and prevents my thanking you personally, but I am very glad that my good friend and Past President of our Club, Lion Gib Gordon, will be with you to accept the award on my behalf, for which I thank you most sincerely.”

From this you will realize what Lion Stevenson meant when he stated “We Serve” was practically an automatic slogan.

Again, on behalf of Lion Douglas Stevenson of the Fonthill Lions Club, our sincere thanks to Lions International for this fine award.

Thank You.

(Applause)