The Lions Club Bridge, found outside many clubs is a symbol for International Friendship and Cooperation. Lions Clubs all over the world honor their members with a special service when they pass away.

Since 1917 the Lions Club has been a longstanding secular service organization with over 45,500 clubs in 205 countries around the world. With a purpose of promoting the principles of good government and good citizenship, the Lions Club unites the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.

When a member of the Lions Club passes, they are entitled to a Lions Club Memorial Service which can take place during their funeral service. Below are the requirements for organizing and arranging a Lions Club Memorial Service.

The purpose of such a memorial service is to honor a Lion Club member who has served his or her community, district, state and international organization, and thus, all attention should be directed on ensuring the deceased’s service is carried out with the utmost respect and decorum.

As part of the standards in performing a Lions Club Memorial Service, required objects include a gong and gavel, five white carnations, a podium, country flag and Club banner.

It is further required that one Lion member conduct the memorial service, while five Lions carry and present the carnations. An additional Lion is needed to ring the gong at the back of the room softly, while remaining Club members are noted as in attendance.

Lions are asked to don the Lions vests (especially for the five Lions carrying the flowers), however, if the club does not use them, it is asked that members wear a suit or sport coat that is appropriate for the occasion.

For the ceremony to be performed accordingly, members are asked to attend at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of service, so as to meet with all the participants and review the service so everyone will be familiar with the content and timing.

For the Lions conducting the service, there should be a podium placed at the front of the room to one side of the casket. The country flag should be on one side of the casket while the Lions Banner is placed on the opposite side.

The placement of the Lions Banner should be positioned near the podium, but not in a position that would leave the banner hidden.

At the established time, members will form two columns and proceed into the room where the service will be conducted. The procession will be led by the presiding Lion, District or Governor and others who have a part in the service. Each pair will pause in front of and facing the casket. During this pause, you may offer a silent prayer or goodbye before proceeding to your seat and being replaced by the following two members.

After all participants have paused and are seated and provided the room allows for it, the five flower carriers should line up next to the country flag. However, if space is not available, the flower carriers are to line up along the side aisle close to the front.

At the appropriate time during the service, as the presenter spells out LIONS and tells what the flowers represent, the Lions carrying the flowers should present them to the deceased’s spouse one at a time.

All other club members are to stand and fill the aisles along the walls of the room. It is during this time that the gong and gavel should be in the rear of the room with a Lion assigned to ring it one time after the roll has been called. Upon the fading of the gong sound, the Lions friendship banner should be presented to the spouse at the end of the service.

Upon the conclusion of the service, the participating members will leave the room in the procession in which they had entered at the beginning of the service.

Lions Code of Ethics:

TO SHOW my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.

TO SEEK success and to demand a fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.

TO REMEMBER that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another’s; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.

WHENEVER a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubts against myself.

TO HOLD friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.

ALWAYS bear in mind my obligation as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, and give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.

TO AID my fellow men by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.

TO BE CAREFUL with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.