In looking back, Sid muses, “At the end of
the day, it’s not what I’ve learned, but what I’ve
taught. It’s not what I’ve done, but what I’ve
helped somebody else do. And it’s not what I’ve
gotten, it’s what I’ve given away that will make a
difference in someone else’s life and in mine—
that’s my life’s mission. It’s all about what you
give back.” Sid continues, “The other day a little
girl learned the word, ‘Good,’ and said, ‘I can
make two words out of good—‘Go and Do!’”
Sharing the same philosophy, Melvin Jones,
founder of the Lions Club in 1917, asked, “What if
people put their talents to work improving their
communities?” Over a hundred years later, the
Lions Clubs International is the largest service
club in the world with over 1.35 million Lions
and 46,000 clubs. Reaching the world, the Lions
Club continues its influence into Moore County.
With a club in Pinebluff, Aberdeen, Carthage,
and Vass, there are many opportunities for
locals to get involved.
Serving as the Membership Chairman
for the Vass Lions Club, and previously as an
International Lions Club President, Sid provides
a personal introduction to all things Lion. Sid
begins, “In the early 1990’s, I simplified our
mission within our name—LIONS: Loving
Individuals Offering Needed Service. That’s
what we do! We offer needed service within the
community. We’re a worldwide organization in
over 208 countries, however each club has their
own mission and serves independently within
their community. That was the whole genius of
Lions Clubs International, and it’s still going on
today.”
Mr. Sid Scruggs of the Vass Lions Club.
Four major categories focus the Lions’
mission. • To work with the visually–impaired
and blind. In 1925, upon Helen Keller’s request
the Lions’ mission became VISION in preventing
reversible blindness and working with the blind.
• To inspire the YOUTH. In 1957, the youth
program named Leo began. Leo stands for
Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity. • To
solve HUNGER around the world. • To work with
the ENVIRONMENT.
Within a local community, the clubs are
encouraged to see the need and meet the need.
What the Lions do in Vass is different than what
they do in Raleigh, Charlotte, or Winston Salem.
For example in Vass, the annual food drive at
Christmas provides food for over 230 families
for 2 weeks. Once a year, the Vision Van offers
free screenings in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.
The community action program wherein they
recycle glasses further restores vision.
The Lions also support their local Leo Club at
Union Pines with finances, encouragement, and
scholarships. In turn, the Leos at Union Pines
raise $2K, fill 10,000 bags with a complete meal
of rice, vitamins and other ingredients, and
ship them all over the world to those in need.
Support continues with the Backpack Pals, local
Boy Scout Troop, and the NC Boys & Girls Home
at Lake Waccamaw.
One of the most recent projects recognized
through Lions Clubs International is the garden
project at Vass–Lakeview Elementary School.
Sid tells, “Once all of the children had taken the
food that they needed, we still delivered over
100 pounds of food to the Food Bank.”
Sid smiles, “With the annual worldwide
poster contest, New Century has had a winner in
the state competitions two out of the last three
201 S McNeill St.
Carthage
age
(910) 722-2076
coffee • tea • lunch • coffee • tea • lunch •
When my curiosity got the better of me, I
began the search for the story behind the boxes
promising good. As my vision narrowed, a name
and number came into focus—a Mr. Sidney
Scruggs, III, known as Sid, with the Vass Lions
Club.
We meet at the coffee shop on Main Street
and over coffee Sid shares. The story grows
from childhood days in Chattanooga, to flight
school in Pensacola, and graduation from the
Naval Academy in 1960. To serving many tours
in Vietnam and returning, not as a war hero,
but as a target for angry words from the peace
movement marching across America. Sid’s
Navy career ended in 1969, and a career with
American Airlines took flight. When American
Airlines opened a crew base in Raleigh, Sid and
his wife Judy left their historic home in New
Hampshire and moved south to Woodlake.
As Sid looks back over his life of service, he
sees the stepping stones that mark the journey.
From experiencing the destruction of war, he
came home wanting to invest in life. When his
Father-in-law encouraged his involvement with
the Rotary, such began a life of volunteer service
with the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, Kiwanis,
etc. When Sid moved to Woodlake, he joined the
Lions Club in ’92.
years! We also give scholarships to graduating
seniors based on merit and needs. With literacy
programs, we donate books and provide
volunteers who help people learn to read.”
As the Lions minister to the VIPs—Visually
Impaired Person in their community, they’ll
have birthday parties, bowling, miniature
golf tournaments, etc. Camp Dogwood offers
week-long retreats for the blind and visuallyimpaired;
around 800 guests attend annually.
Sid highlights, “We also support the visually–
impaired fishing tournament which is the
largest single blind event in the world. During
the third week in October, we bring around 500
blind and visually–impaired people for a fishing
experience to the Outer Banks.”
Truly if anyone wants to help their
community, then there is an avenue with the
Lions Club. “Where there is a need, there is a
Lion.” Sid continues, “We’re not interested in
just having members; we’re interested in people
who actually want to serve in their community.”
Financial accountability is transparent. Sid
explains how it works. “Every cent earned from
fund raisers is used for services. We don’t keep
one penny for administration costs. I don’t
know of another organization who can say
that—worldwide, zero percent. Every club keeps
two separate accounts with an administrative
account and a service account. If we have a fund
raiser, then every single penny goes into our
service account. The club members’ giving of
dues and donations goes into the admin fund.”
From the available life ready to serve, many
unforgettable stories flow. Yes, those glasses
really do get recycled and change lives! From
the local drop boxes, the glasses are sent to
Camp Dogwood, then onto a recycling place in
Virginia; from there, the glasses are sent all over
the world. Sid tells of being in Mexico wherein
they distributed 1,500 pair in 4 days. “When you
see a person who can’t see and all of a sudden
they put on a pair of glasses, it’s unbelievable! In
Mexico, the Mayor came up and said he wanted
the fanciest pair of glasses we had. I said, ‘Okay.’
He asked for ones with rhinestones or pink. He
said the men needed glasses, but if they got
ones that looked like women’s glasses, then
they wouldn’t wear them. He wanted to show
them that he would wear a pair of glasses that
belonged to a woman.”
When a short, heavy-set grandmother with
a long braid down her back came for help, the
team gave her a pair of glasses. She couldn’t
speak English, but she kept saying “Gracias.”
Sid remembers, “The first thing she did after she
put the glasses on, was she pulled out her prayer
book and pulled out a picture. It was the first
time she had seen her grandchildren.”
“We had a woman bring in her son whom
she thought was autistic; he wouldn’t talk or do
anything. Upon receiving a new pair of glasses,
he put them on and then asked if he could go
outside and play. His other glasses had been
scratched so badly, almost like with a nail, that
he couldn’t see through them. He thought his
mother was punishing him because she made
him put on his glasses every day, but he simply
LIONS, LEOS, & LESSONS con't. next column
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LIONS, LEOS, & LESSONS continued
LIONS, LEOS, & LESSONS continued
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Original
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sed
coffee p.30 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 130