Sussex Leo Club: Giving Back to the Community
Photo Submitted by the Leo Club.
Maya Desai
The Leo Club is a non-profit community-based organization sponsored by the Sussex Lions Club. The Sussex Lions Club of Wisconsin has been serving our community for over 75 years, established in 1939. The Sussex Lions’ mission is “to create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation.”
Not affiliated with Hamilton High School, the Leo Club is a branch of the Sussex Lions Club, meaning meetings are hosted by the board members and adult advisors outside of school hours. However, it is mostly made up of Hamilton students and a few TMS students. The Sussex Leo Club was chartered in 2004 by Lion David Furer, a member of the Lions Club International and principal of Hamilton High School at the time. It was formed to provide the youth with volunteer opportunities but has become something much greater today—a dedicated group willing to devote itself to the community. Our mission is to provide the youth with an opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively in the local community, while having fun. We have been recognized in the community, as the Leo Club won Volunteer Group of the Year in 2019. As your president this year, I strive to continue to achieve and exceed this mission.
Unlike many charitable organizations, we fundraise to be able to give 100% of the money back to help others and the public. Last year, we finalized a list of nine charities to donate a total of $3,000. Personally, this is one of my favorite aspects of the club. Being able to select organizations we feel passionate about and supporting them is truly an unmatchable feeling. I love seeing all of our hard work pay off when we get to make significant donations to charities that are important to our Leo Club members. For example, we made donations to Cure Starts Now, which was started by the family of one of our members in honor of his sister who passed away from DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma). DIPG is a type of brain tumor found in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. The name diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma describes how the tumor grows, where it is found, and what kinds of cells give rise to the tumor. This is what the club is all about—impacting the community in the most meaningful way.
Other organizations personal to our members include the Porcupine Foundation, which is run by a Hamilton guidance counselor in honor of her son, and Portia’s Purpose, which is run by the aunt of one of our Leos to provide support to families of children with Leukemia. Other organizations we have donated to are the Wisconsin Lions Camp, Milwaukee Street Angels, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Roger’s Behavioral Health, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Vehicles for Veterans. By raising money, predominantly through Lions Daze, club members compile a list of charities and organizations that are important to them. Every year brings a new list of organizations and groups. The meeting to compile this list is unanimously the most rewarding and of the greatest significance.
Throughout the year, the Leos participate in community service projects, including our own events and ones run by the village. In the fall, we help with the Village’s Spooky Sussex event, our annual Fall Road Cleanup on Townline Road, and host our Trick or Treat for Sussex Outreach Services (SOS) event on Halloween. Last year at our Trick or Treat event, we collected 1,326 pounds of food for the food pantry. The Trick or Treat SOS event is one of our main events that we host! Every Halloween, the Leos dress up and collect food items from door to door in the Eagles Ridge Neighborhood. As word of the event spreads each year, families are enthusiastic to donate canned goods and non-perishable food items, filling shopping carts to the brim with food. On a night to remember, the Leos raise over 1000 pounds of food each year, tremendously helping the food pantry restock its food supply before the busy holiday season!
Two additional events we are participating in this November are the Panther Showdown at SSI and creating Thanksgiving door decorations for nursing homes. Every year, we try to design new events to diversify the type of volunteer opportunities. We are always open to new ideas as well.
In the winter, we kick off the holiday season by serving at the Village Tree Lighting, Lunch with Santa, and Christmas Door Hangers, where we create customized holiday gifts for local nursing homes. The Civic Center’s Annual Tree Lighting event is a festive and cheerful night. Club members are responsible for distributing concessions, assisting children with ornament making, and taking pictures of families with Santa. Seeing the adorable grin on the children’s faces is sure to put you in a jolly mood! Additionally, we will be hosting our 4th annual Tie Blanket Making event, where we create tie blankets to donate to the Milwaukee Street Angels homeless shelter. The group uses supplies to make cozy blankets from scratch and donates them to the shelter to keep the people warm and comfortable during the cold winter months.
Holidays are times when we always try to share love and kindness with others who need it. On Valentine’s Day, we create over 100 cards for local nursing homes. Leos let their creative sides loose by decorating and constructing colorful cards.
Spring is another time to lift people's spirits with some cards filled with positive thoughts. Last year, we volunteered at the Lion’s Brew Beer & Wine Tasting. We helped out at the Village Easter Egg Drop, Arbor Day 5K, and Woodside Family Fun Night. The Village Easter Egg Drop is another heartwarming event. We love seeing how happy all the little kids are, the excitement they have, and their determination to get the Easter eggs first! Another focus of spring is helping cleanup the environment through a local road cleanup.
The final event is the biggest of them all: Lions Daze, our biggest fundraiser of the year. Taking place in July, the annual Sussex Lions Daze is an event in which all the Leos are responsible for setting up, running concession stands, selling water, participating in the parade, and tearing down the festival. Leos are required to work two shifts at this event because of how important it is to us.
If you are interested in participating in any of these events or looking to gain service hours while having fun, this club is for you! Join Leos Club! You won’t regret it because becoming a Leo is advantageous to you and the community around you. Serving and giving back allows you to become a well-rounded individual while having the satisfaction of helping others and enhancing your leadership and social skills. The Sussex Leo Club hopes you consider joining the Leo family and spread the word by encouraging your friends to join the club as well.
It is very easy to join the Sussex Leo club! If you are between the ages of 12 and 18, you can turn in the application and $10 at our next meeting on November 15, 2023. On every third Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m., the Leos meet at Hamilton High School to discuss upcoming events, finances, and seasonal activities. To fill out the application and learn more about the Leo Club, check out the website linked below.
The Leos are determined to make an impact within Sussex and beyond, engaging in fun volunteering events all year long.
