LIONS LEADER STRESSES NEED TO OFFER HELP

One person can do something to help others, and two people can do more. But an international organization can do much much more, says Kajit Habanananda, incoming president of Lions Clubs International.

"There is more opportunity to serve."

Habanananda will be the keynote speaker today at the 75th Missouri Lions State Convention at the Holiday Inn Convention Center.

Nearly 700 people from across the state registered for the four-day convention, which is being held in Cape Girardeau for the first time in 50 years. Dr. Keith Deimund of the Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club is the convention chairman.

Habanananda, who lives in Bangkok, Thailand, has been a Lions Club member for 33 years. A retired international land-development consultant, he now spends three weeks of every month traveling as a member of the Lions Club International hierarchy.

Habanananda said he is one of the fortunate people who accomplished what he wanted to do early in life. Now he is devoting his time to a club that helps people who are less fortunate.

The Lions Club is well known for projects aiding those who are visually and hearing impaired.

The Lions have been involved with vision programs since 1925, when Helen Keller charged them with "becoming the knights of the blind," Habanananda said.

"We have eliminated more than 1 million cataracts. There are 1 million people who can see again."

Harmony will be the theme of his presidential tenure, Habanananda said. The club also is experiencing strong growth in Asia, and next year will spend $15 million on programs on mainland China.

He also said the Lions are pushing to get more young people into the club and to find more "quality members."

"Get somebody as good as you are," he tells the memberships he speaks to.

Charles Tripp, a district governor from Clarksdale, said membership in Missouri is growing faster than in any other state in the union.