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COMMUNITY NOTES: Charles City Lions Club has been serving area for 101 years

By Barry Levey, Club President

You have probably heard of the Charles City Lions Club, but do you really know of the achievements and contributions the C.C. Lions Club makes to our community?

In 1917, our founding business leader, Melvin Jones, asked a simple question: “What if people put their talents to work improving their communities?” Well, today our club keeps asking that question, and the questions of how to raise money through donations and fundraisers and improve our town and surrounding areas.

We are proud of our 101 years as a local club. We have donated more than $1 million since our club’s charter in 1921. The list of projects is almost incomprehensible:

  • The winter of 1924 we sponsored the skating rink at Lincoln Park.
  • The summer of 1925 the club bought the old fairgrounds from the Waller family that is today’s Lions Field.
  • The Lions Club paid for lighting of the baseball diamond in 1936, it was one of the first lit diamonds in Iowa.
  • Permanent bleachers were installed on the north side of the football field in 1947.
  • The club donated $5,000 to the municipal pool construction in 1949.
  • Trees were planted around Charles City from donations from the local club and Lions Club International 1969-1970.
  • The rose garden was established in 1972 and is maintained by our club at present.
  • Lions Club International has since 1961 maintained a Kid-Sight program for testing school age children and testing began through the Charles City Lions Club in 2010.

Today we donate to many projects and organizations around Charles City and we look forward to another 100 years of club activity.

The last two and a half years have undoubtedly been a challenge. All clubs internationally and our members have come through COVID with the best outlook for today and for our future. We held as many meetings as possible during the pandemic as we continued to meet at the Floyd County Museum.

Currently we are preparing for our annual book sale, which has occurred since the 1960s. Flags over Charles City started in 2017 and today we have over 638 subscribers. We also host our annual fly-in pancake breakfast, now with over 60 years of fun.

Our ongoing fundraisers are sell-a-bone online donations sales, scrap metal drive, and table and chair rental.

The highlight of the club’s 100 year anniversary was the “Century Project” in central park and in cooperation with the Charles City Women’s Club. A new walled garden was installed with three flag poles. Currently the US flag, the Iowa state flag and the Charles City flag wave proud over the park to honor the lives lost in the 1968 tornado.

Our mission statement is as strong today as it was 101 years ago: to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace, and promote international understanding through Lions Club.

I want to thank past and present members for their participation, and above all our donors and the public who attend our events and keep our club strong. “We serve.”

 

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