Lions: You can help serve your community

Nov 05, 2014

by Linda Zwier

Would you like to help local kids who have vision or hearing problems? Given the opportunity, wouldn’t you support people who may be blind, deaf, on dialysis or have diabetes? Would you say no to helping raise funds for the Food Bank, the Salvation Army Christmas Hampers, the CNIB or the Summer Swim Program?

The Sharbot Lake & District Lions Club has been serving this area for over 63 years. We are presently seeking community-minded people who want to make a difference in their own neighborhood or even half way around the world. Our official motto is simply “We Serve”. What better way to explain our mission? You can learn more about the Lions by attending our Information night on November 18 at 7 p.m. at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake. Check us out on Facebook or visit our websites: www.sharbotlions.com or www.lionsclubs.org .

Anyone 18 and over can become a Lion. In fact, we have several couples who enjoy Lionism as a rewarding family activity. Yes, we work hard but there is also a social aspect to membership. We enjoy many fun activities with the folks from other Lions clubs, especially those from nearby communities here in Eastern Ontario. Membership in a Lions Club provides people with the opportunity to meet and work with other individuals, striving toward the common goal of helping those in need. We enjoy the camaraderie of the group as we involve ourselves in club activities. The satisfaction gained by being a part of these efforts is one of the big rewards of being a Lion.

How do we serve? We are very proud of our “Vision Screening” program. For over 10 years we have been testing the eyesight of local kindergarten and grade one students. In October we visited the schools in Plevna and Mountain Grove, along with Granite Ridge and St. James Major schools in Sharbot Lake. We use equipment purchased with the monies we have collected through our various fundraising activities. A new piece of gear now allows us to test their hearing as well. And we continue to support a project called “No Child Without”. In this program, we work hand-in-hand with the Medic Alert Association to provide every child in our local schools with the Medic Alert bracelets they may need to keep them safe at school, at home and everywhere in between.

We also enjoy working with our senior citizens. In mid-June each year we go to a seniors’ home to barbeque hamburgers and hot dogs for the residents and their families. And each October for the past 38 years we have invited local seniors to spend a wonderful evening of entertainment, prizes and good things to eat. We even provide the buses to bring folks in from all over the district.

We are proud to support Adopt-A-Highway, our pavilion at Oso Beach, the Central Frontenac Summer Swim program and the parades at Christmas and Canada Day. Over the years we have purchased equipment for the Medical Centre, the playground at the beach and have provided financial support to the Dog Guides, the Salvation Army, the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Food Bank and many others, including people with specific needs within our own community. We could do none of this without the support of local folks like you! When a Lion asks you to buy a chocolate Easter bunny, a Christmas fruit cake or a raffle ticket on any of our great prizes, your money goes to support all of the above – and more!

How can you help? You could add your name to our list of community volunteers or you could become a full-fledged Lion. We are always seeking new members in our club. We need people who want to improve their community. You can email us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-539-8190 or 613-375-6318. WE SERVE!

In July of this year, the Lions Club held its 97th Annual International Convention in Toronto! The Lions Club is the biggest community service organization in the world with more than 1.6 million members and close to 20,000 of them came from around the world to attend the convention here in Canada. The eight delegates from Sharbot Lake were thrilled to watch as the Parade of Nations made its way, for over five hours, down University Avenue. That evening, delegates representing about 189 countries filled the Air Canada Centre to near capacity. Your eight local Lions came away with a renewed commitment to serve their community, their country and the world. Next year the International Convention will be held in Honolulu!