SOUTHAMPTON — George A. Symborski said he was “thrilled and excited” to learn that he would be awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for his work with the Southampton Lions Club.

The award, named after the founder of Lions Clubs International (LCI) is an “international designation,” and “the highest honor for a Lion,” according to LCI.

Symborski is the Southampton club’s 17th recipient of the award.

“[The award] goes to a special member because of their qualities,” said Bill Erickson, secretary of the Southampton Lions Club. “George has been in the club for 14 years. He’s one of the most aggressive — in a pleasant way — recruiters of new members ... he’s kind of like a built-in salesman for us.”

Lions Clubs International is a service organization comprising 1.4 million members of 49,000 clubs worldwide. These clubs offer humanitarian support for various causes, and the Lions Clubs International Foundation supplies grants to support the service of its members.

The Southampton Lions Club, which includes members from six towns in the greater Southampton area, built and donated the town gazebo and picnic pavilion at Conant Park, where they host events such as concerts and picnics throughout the year. They also help fund the Southampton Youth Athletic Association, local Scout programs, the Edwards Public Library Summer Reading Program, scholarships for seniors graduating from Hampshire Regional High School, and more.

Additionally, the Southampton Lions engage in service projects geared toward aiding vision problems, such as funding eye research in Massachusetts, and donating to seeing eye dog programs and other vision-related philanthropy efforts. They even collect “hundreds and hundreds of discarded eyeglasses,” which they clean and recycle for use in communities in need, said Erickson.

Symborski has been a dedicated part of such efforts since joining the club, and has been a valuable asset in getting more individuals excited about becoming involved in the club.

Erickson said that the award was a “complete surprise” to Symborski, who joined the club when a next-door neighbor recruited him. He has become an instrumental member ever since, even serving as the club’s president from 2015 to 2016.

“It’s really an honor. I will continue to do the right thing,” said Symborski. “I want to continue to do the same job as I’m doing now to help members out, because I like people and I want the club to continue.”

Symborski was presented with the award at the Southampton Lions Club’s Installation Night on June 3, after the installation of the club’s new officers. His name will forever appear on the listing of Fellows in the Lions Club International Foundation Room at the Lions International Headquarters in Illinois in recognition of his service and dedication.

Currently, Symborski serves as the club’s sergeant at arms, a position that the club invented specifically to keep him among leadership while making room for new officers on the club’s board. He continues to lead the charge in recruiting new members for the club, and regularly attends the meetings of other clubs in the district to see examples of the service that Southampton’s counterparts are working on and to look for opportunities for districtwide efforts.

In all his years of service to the Southampton Lions Club, Symborski said that the effort he is most proud of is his recruitment of new members.

“It’s hard to get people to join clubs,” he said. “It can be hard to find time to meet with a group.”

Symborski also said that his favorite part of being a member of the club is enjoying the meals he regularly shares with his fellow members. Whenever the club meets at a local restaurant, those who attend can expect to find Symborski ready to welcome them with a warm greeting.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @alexamlewis.