LionNet - What is LionNet?

LionNet is a voluntary cooperation network of Internet services of the Lions Clubs International. The Lions Clubs International is the world's biggest service association, with over 1.4 million members in 182 countries and geographic areas. A great number of Lions clubs, districts and multidistricts have opened their own services on the Internet using World Wide Web.

Without proper coordination and cooperation these would be just isolated islands on the Internet. LionNet is a voluntary network of these web services, bringing crosslinking, structure and hierarchy to the Lions net.

The goals of LionNet:

• to create a well crosslinked network of Lions services throughout the world
• to save work and coordinate efforts of Lions webmasters through cooperation
• to create a well-defined structure to the Lions net, which helps users to navigate in it
• to create bridges between Lions members in different countries, to promote contacts, discussions and cooperation between clubs, districts and Lions countries
• to create a truly international, yet manageable infrastructure to the Lions Internet services

The LionNet structure is comprised of "nodes" beginning at the national level and branching out to the state or provincial area. The national nodes list and link to the state/provincial nodes for that country. The state/provincial nodes link to local and district Lions web pages. Nodes are managed by NodeMasters who are encouraged to add their own creativity and local flavour to their pages.

The LionNet NodeMasters also maintain active contact with local Lions district officers and promote the use of the Internet as a tool for Lionism by giving lectures, writing articles in local Lions magazines and visiting club and district meetings. All LionNet nodemasters keep frequent contact with each other with the help of electronic mail.

The slogan of the LionNet is "On the Net We Serve".

How to become a LionNet node?

Are you running a Lions related www service ? If your country, state or province doesn't yet have a LionNet node, you might be the one to create one! Cooperation with good friends world-wide is great fun - and you might become part of it!

• send a message to LionNet Site Administrators expressing your interest in creating a new node and to find out if your area is available. If you're invited to become a NodeMaster, you will receive all the help you need to set up your Node.
After you're invited to create a node, here are the steps you will take in developing your node:
• contact your own district or country Lions officials and tell them about the Internet and the LionNet
• choose a name, "LionNet GeographicName" and display it on your cover page
• display the slogan of the LionNet
• add to your pages links to the next level of the LionNet and to LionNet International
• add links to the clubs in your area and information about your region.

    When you think your LionNet pages are ready to be published contact the administrators again. You will be added to the NodeMasters mailing list and the good news of yet another LionNet node will be spread all over the world.

    Be active on the mailing list and in your local area, and you'll find you have lots of friends all over the world!

The strength of Lions Clubs International is in the voluntary work of the independent clubs and in the friendship of Lions members. Likewise, the strength of LionNet is in voluntary cooperation, mutual helping and friendship of the nodemasters of the Lions WWW services.

If your area is already served by a LionNet node:

    Get involved!

• Join the discussions on one of the Lions message boards.
• Be one of the many Lions who let LionNet know when new clubs publish websites.
• Encourage clubs in your area to create and publish websites.
• Contact your area NodeMaster and offer your help.

LionNet - On the Net We Serve!