We Serve the Mason Neck and Lorton Area of Fairfax County, Virginia

As members of the Mason Neck Lions Club, we volunteer our time to humanitarian causes in the Mason Neck and Lorton, Virginia areas and the world community. By conducting service projects and raising funds, we strive to help the less fortunate, wherever the need exists.

The Lions' motto is "We Serve."

The International Association of Lions Clubs was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1917. Although the youngest service club organization, Lions International has grown to be the worlds largest. As of April 30, 2009, Lions Clubs International had more than 1.3 Million Members in more than 45 Thousand Clubs in over 750 Districts in 206 Countries and Geographic locations.  Lions Clubs International is headquartered in Oak Brook Illinois. A board of directors, elected annually at the International Convention, governs the International Association.
In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions at their International Convention, challenging them to become "Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness." Since that time, service to the blind and visually impaired has become one of the association's most significant activities.

While Lions speak many languages and profess many religious and political beliefs, they all subscribe to common objectives and ethical principles.

To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation.

• 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 all 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 doubt 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 another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.

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

• To Aid others 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.

President:  Lion Dick Kennedy

Lion Dick grew up on Long Island but have Virginia roots, as my father was born and raised in the small town of Browntown, near Front Royal. After graduating from Princeton in 1963 with a BSE in chemical engineering I became interest in economics, which I studied at the University of the Americas in Mexico City (where I met my wife, Sallie) and at the Institut Universitaire d’Etudes Europennes in Turin, Italy. After teaching economics for two years at Potsdam State in NY, I went back to school, completed a PhD in economics at Rice University, and worked from 1972 until 2003 as a European economic analyst in CIA’s Directorate of Intelligence, examining issues that included the impact of the 1973 OPEC oil price hikes, the "burden sharing" issue in NATO,  the EU’s plans for a single currency, and Turkey’s efforts to recover from its 2001 economic crisis..We moved to Mason Neck in 1978 and feel privileged to live in this beautiful area, where our daughters Bradley and Ashley grew up. After several years of helping at Mason Neck Lions projects, such as shoreline cleanups, road cleanups, and tree plantings, Lion Joe Chudzik finally  convinced me to join the club in 2008. I am also secretary of the Mason Neck Citizens Association, editor of the Hallowing Point Association newsletter, and involved in establishing a Friends of Mason Neck State Park group.

Immediate Past President: Lion Calvin Smith

Lion Calvin was born in Black Rock Arkansas and was raised in West Memphis, Arkansas.  He served four years in the U.S. Navy as an electricians mate. After the Navy, Lion Calvin earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Memphis. Lion Calvin worked with the Defense Logistics Agency for 33 years in various analytical positions and worked in Memphis, Richmond, Alexandria and Ft. Belvoir prior to his retirement in 2004   Lion Calvin joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in 2006.  He has served as co-tail twister, co-lion tamer, 1st Vice President and President. 

1st Vice President/Cultural and Community Activities: Lion Joe Chudzik

2nd Vice President: Lion Marvin Miller

Lion Marvin D. Miller is a native of Norfolk, Virginia who has lived in Northern Virginia since the early 1970's.  He and his family moved to Mason Neck in the mid 1980's. A friend and neighbor, Lion William Nurse, introduced him to the Mason Neck Lions Club not long after they meet and he has been with the Club ever since.   As a criminal defense lawyer, his schedule is not always his own but the Club is great at providing opportunities to serve.  He exemplifies the motto “We Serve”.

Secretary: Lion Elisabeth Carroll

Lion Liz is a native Washingtonian and a retired officer of the U.S. Government. She joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in 1998. Lion Liz has already served two terms as Club Secretary and has served in the Cabinet positions of assistant to the District Governor 2001-2002 and Awards/New Member Orientation Chair 2002-2003. She currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors of Elizabeth Seton High School, Bladensburg, Maryland and Vice President of the Newington Community Association, Springfield, VA. Lion Liz is a Melvin Jones Fellow.

Treasurer: Lion Dave Collyer

Lion Dave was born in Summit, N.J. He moved with his family to Baltimore, Md. in 1949. He retired on Dec. 1, 2002 after 32 years as a field service engineer in the medical imaging field. Lion Dave has four children and three grandchildren. He joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in the summer of 2003, and soon after joined the team at the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center as an assistant operations manager. During the summer of 2004 Lion Dave also became a driver/technician for the District 24-A Sight and Hearing Screening Van.  He has served as Zone Chair for Region II, Zone 2 (2006-2007). He is currently serving as District Chair for the Lions eyeglass Recycling Center of Northern Virginia.

Visitation/Shrimp Chair: Lion Foster Morse

Lion Foster is an avid fisherman and sports enthusiast, was born in Portsmouth, VA. He is a retired educator, who spent 32 years working in public schools as a teacher and administrator with 27 years in Fairfax County, VA. Foster, a Melvin Jones Fellow and LOVF Humanitarian, has been a member of the Mason Neck Lions Club for over 25 years. As a club member he has served as Secretary, Treasurer. President (twice), Lion Tamer and Tail Twister. His service at the District level includes Zone Chair (3Times) Region (twice) District Chaplain, District Lioness Chair, International Convention Chair, USA Canada Lions Leadership Forum Chair and District Social Chair. He attended the "Train the Trainer Leadership Workshop" and then conducted leadership training sessions. Lion Foster has taught Tail Twister orientation classes for newly elected Tail Twisters at District Officers Training School. Noted for his sense of humor and ingenuity in assessing fines he is very comfortable in the position of Tail Twister. He considers himself one of the best in the District. In addition to his accomplishments as a Lion he is very active in other civic organizations in the Mason Neck Area and is a member of the Springfield United Methodist Church. He along with his wife(Lion Reba) are co-chairs of International Relations/International convention and USA/Canada Forum

Email and/or Call Our Membership Committee
To Learn More About Lionism

Becoming a Member

Membership in a Lions Club is by invitation only. Through membership, Lions not only help people in need, but also have opportunities to develop personal friendships and gain valuable leadership skills. The membership committee may be reached by E-Mail or Telephone. You may obtain Lionism information from any member of the Mason Neck Lions Club. Please contact us to receive an invitation to one of our meetings, and then join us, and learn more about Lionism.

To e-mail us click on the Lions Name or e-mail address.

What We Do

From 1925 to the present, Lions have been recognized throughout the world for their service to the blind and visually impaired. A majority of the world's eye banks are established and supported by Lions, as are hundreds of Clinics, Hospitals and Eye Research Centers. Since our club was chartered in 1967, countless members of our local community have been helped with free quality eye care, eyeglasses and hearing exams, that they would not have otherwise been able to obtain. The majority of our funds are used to support the Lorton Community Action Center and the Local Community.

Fund Raising

One of our major fund raising projects is the sale of Fresh Shrimp during the months of September thru December. (When the Florida and/or Carolina Shrimp are running). Our Shrimp Chairman, Lion Foster Morse (703-339-7099), or Lion Tom Nally (703-451-5358) will be happy to assist you or your club in obtaining Shrimp.

The charitable arm of our club is "Lions Club of Mason Neck-Lorton Charities, Inc" and the CFC Number is 15565.  Please consider us when you sign up for the Combined Federal Campaign.

When and Where We Meet

Our Club holds its dinner meetings on the Second and Fourth Wednesday of each month at the Polo Grill 7784 Gunston Plaza Dr. at 6:30 PM. All are welcome to attend. Please e-mail the secretary if you plan to visit. We conduct Lions business at our monthly board meetings, held the Fourth Wednesday of each month.  Each 3rd Wednesday morning, we host a breakfast get together at 8:00AM at the American BBQ Cafe located on the corner of Lockport Pl. and Telegraph Rd. in Lorton, VA.  Everyone is invited.

Eyeglass Collection Sites

Do You Need The Lions Help

In our continuing effort to serve our communities, the Lions Clubs of Northern Virginia provide several telephone help hotlines. Some telephone help hotlines use voice mail recordings.  Messages left on these voice mail systems are checked daily. Each message is then forwarded to the Lions Club responsible for serving the caller's locale. Although the primary mission of the Lions Clubs is in the areas of sight, hearing, and diabetes, all Lions are committed to assist everyone in their community that requires help. Therefore, our help hotlines are available to anyone needing help or wanting to learn more about Lionism.

Clicking this button will take you to the Web Page that has the hotline telephone numbers. Calls to the hotlines range from the local resident who needs assistance to a traveling or vacationing Lion looking for a club to visit. More than one person has called looking for a Lions Club to join.

Links to other Lions Site (Click site name)

Links to Home Pages of our Service Area