When Eric Tweedy saw that Kansas does not have a Lions Club that focuses on LGBTQIA+ people, he knew he had to do something about it.
Tweedy co-founded Lions of Pride & Purpose alongside his husband, Eric Strimple. The couple have been members of the Eudora Lions Club for roughly six years.
The two created a Facebook page for the Lions of Pride & Purpose on Aug. 8. The nonprofit is working to form a Lions Club that supports the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We need to serve our LGBTQIA+ community, and as a member of the community, I feel many needs are not being met,” District 17A Global Extension Team Coordinator Tweedy said.
A Lions Club is a volunteer service organization that works to improve the health and well-being of its community, according to Lions Club International. There are 49,000 clubs around the world, and Lions can apply for grants through the Lions Club International Foundation.
Lawrence is recognized as its own chapter, known as Lawrence Noon Lions Club. Lions for Pride & Purpose will be a cyber club that plans to focus primarily on LGBTQIA+ needs within Lawrence, Douglas County and Kansas. Virtual meetings are also open to anyone from anywhere.
In order to be recognized as a branch, Lions for Pride & Purpose needs five members to join and be sponsored by an existing club to begin hosting meetings. The Eudora Lions Club is on board to sponsor them. Once there are 20 members, the organization will be recognized as an official Lions club, according to Tweedy.
Tweedy said the club will focus on unemployment, homelessness, hunger, drug and alcohol prevention, mental health, along with anything else that may come up in virtual meetings.
“Where there is a need, there is a Lion,” Tweedy said.
Tweedy and Strimple began having conversations on starting a LGBQTIA+ focused Lions Club several months ago. Strimple said working on this project with his spouse has been rewarding.
“Seeing this Cyber Club happen has been a dream of ours since we both joined Lions and now that we are both in position to spearhead the project, we are ready to see it happen,” District 17A Global Membership Team Coordinator Strimple said.
Tweedy hopes Lions of Pride & Purpose can collaborate with other organizations, such as surrounding Lions Clubs and other LGBTQIA+ focused organizations and nonprofits.
“There are so many amazing organizations that are already making a ripple,” Tweedy said. “I hope they will open their arms to a new Lions Club that wants to better the community. Strength in numbers. We could turn that ripple into a wave.”
Those interested in joining the Lions of Pride & Purpose can contact Tweedy through email at erictweedy@icloud.com. More information can be found on the Facebook page at this link.
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Lane Rozin (he/they), a contributor to the Lawrence Times, is a student at the University of Kansas Schools of Journalism and Film. He is a graduate of Pittsburg High School, where he was the multimedia editor for Pitt Media in 2019-21. He is currently the managing editor at the University Daily Kansan and development director at KJHK. See more of his work for the Times here.
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