| Leo History
Forty years ago, Coach Jim Graver started the Leo ball rolling. Chances are, that ball was a baseball. Back in 1957, Graver was the coach of the Abington High School, Pennsylvania, baseball team.Graver was also an active member of the Glenside, Pennsylvania, Lions Club. With fellow Lion, William Ernst, Graver talked about starting a service club for high school boys. "The Kiwanians had their Key Clubs and the Rotarians had their Wheel Club (since changed to Interact Clubs)," Ernst is quoted as saying in on October 7, 1976 newspaper article in The Evening Bulletin. So they asked their fellow Lions for support. Without hesitation, the Glenside Lions agreed that a Lions youth group was a good idea. Graver and Ernst set to work. "We needed a nucleus, a group of kids to start with," stated Ernst. "So we got Jim's son to come to the first meeting with his whole baseball team." Nine sophomore, junior and senior boys joined the group of 26 baseball players. Together, the 35 teens formed a club. On December 5, 1957, the Glenside Lions presented a charter to the Abington High School Leo Club. As the world's first Leo club, the group created the Leo acronym Leadership, Equality, Opportunity (Equality was later changed to Experience). And, the group chose maroon and gold - their school colors - to serve as the Leo club colors. In 1968, newly formed Leo clubs began sending their requests for club certification to international Headquarters. On October 17, 1969, forms requesting certification for the Abington High School Leo Club reached headquarters. On this date, the world's original Leo club was formally recognized as a part of the international Leo program. Leo John Hebert of Baederwood, Pennsylvania, served as president of the Abington High School Leo Club. Soon, Lions all over the world were learning more about the new Leo Club Program. By October 15, 1970, there were 24,000 Leo club members in 918 clubs in 48 countries worldwide. Today, the Leo Club Program is stronger than ever. Community service remains the cornerstone of the program. Like their Lion counterparts, Leo club members enjoy serving their neighbors and watching positive results unfold. Another Leo milestone occurred last year. On April 12, 1996, the organization papers for the 5,000th active Leo club reached international Headquarters. This club was the Fomeque Monarca Leo Club of Colombia, of which Leo Ariel Wilfredo Hurtado Rodriguez served as president. His father is a Lion. As of June 30, 1997, there were 5,315 Leo clubs and 132,875 club members throughout the world. These clubs operate in 138 nations, 606 Lions districts, 140 Leo districts, and 27 Leo multiple districts worldwide. |
| Leo Club Of SMKSAS |
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| Welcome to Leo Club of SMKSAS (Cameron Highlands) Official Website |
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