Last week, the Black and Orange paid a visit to Surrey's Kwantlen Park Secondary to officially kick off Lions Pride, the newest addition to the Leos' family of community programs.

In partnership with the Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division of the Ministry of Public Safety, Lions Pride is an outreach program highlighting the importance of making positive choices and choosing alternate activities to gang involvement.  

Lions slotback Geroy Simon, centre Dean Valli and defensive back Jerome Dennis shared anecdotes of their personal experiences followed by a students versus students tug-of-war to conclude the presentation.

As part of the Lions Pride initiative, a four-team flag football league for at-risk youth will hold practices throughout the month of April, culminating in a tournament in May.  In addition, all individuals selected to participate in the flag football program will be provided with tickets for the 2010 season at Empire Stadium.  

In months to come, the Lions will visit 24 high schools throughout Surrey, Abbotsford, Richmond and Vancouver, and will take the program on the road with eight stops in the Interior communities of Prince George and Kamloops.

Be sure to stay tuned to bclions.com for more Lions Pride related news in the weeks ahead!