It is time to gear up for one of our most anticipated events of the year. I am thrilled to officially invite your club to the 3rd Annual Lions Olympics on Saturday, August 8th at 10:00 AM!
What began three years ago with 70 attendees expanded to over 200 participants last year. While we are competing on the surface for a major prize, the true reality of the Olympics is that we are all there to learn from one another—borrowing the small nuances and successful strategies that ultimately improve our collective service and communal efforts. This event offers a rare platform for direct, person-to-person networking and mentorship that goes beyond the scope of a standard convention. I have personally witnessed clubs achieve measurable financial growth and establish lasting partnerships rooted in the ideas shared at this event.
Contact Johnny Benevidas at gunkjb@gmail.com to sign your club up for this fun event.
Here is what you can expect this year:
The Competition: Championship Stakes
Entry Fee: $500 per club. (Please note, this is not a fundraiser.)
The Reward: First place takes the entire pool! The grand prize is awarded directly to the winning club’s administrative fund to help finance local community service projects.
The Five Events: Teams will face off in five distinct challenges: cornhole, washers, horseshoes, penalty kick competition, and our signature food competition.
The Food Competition & Lunch: Lions Clubs are famous for their culinary skills. We ask each club to bring one of their finest dishes to serve as the fifth competitive event. Crucially, these dishes double as the shared lunch for all attendees.
Club Partnerships: If your membership is currently too small to field a full team, we strongly encourage you to collaborate with a neighboring club. You can co-sponsor the entry fee (e.g., $250 each), compete as a joint team, and share the rewards.
Runner-Up Prizes: Second and third-place finishers will also receive cash payouts, funded entirely by our silent auction proceeds.
The Silent Auction: An Educational Showcase
Whether your club is competing on the field or attending as spectators, we invite everyone to contribute to the silent auction, managed this year by Mysti Wiatt of the Cutler Orosi Lions Club.
The Concept: We are asking clubs to donate their premier, proven, high-performing auction items—the definitive standouts from your own past fundraisers.
The Goal: The auction serves as an educational blueprint. Lions can study these successful items, learn what resonates most with donors, and replicate those ideas at home to optimize their own future fundraising revenue.
To Donate: Please contact Mysti Wiatt at 559-901-0723 to coordinate your item. (A standard stipend will support the host club, and the remaining balance will fund the second and third-place athletic prizes.)
Club Home Bases: Shared Blueprints for Success
Every attending club will be allocated a dedicated Home Base space. We encourage you to use this area to display your annual calendar, current service initiatives, and fundraising strategies.
Peer-to-Peer Mentorship: This environment is designed to bridge the gap between long-standing, high-membership clubs and those looking to rebuild. Whether your club excels at recruitment or robust financial management, this is a space to sit down face-to-face and share the exact organizational blueprints that drive your success.
Let’s gather to strengthen our district, exchange vital institutional knowledge, and enjoy an incredible day of fellowship.
We look forward to seeing you on August 8th!
Yours in Service,
Johnny Benavides Past President, Caruthers Lions Club