This week I’d like to introduce you to the many Lions Clubs serving the Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Tenino and Yelm communities. Once a month until we run out, I will introduce you to other community service clubs, like Rotary, Kiwanis and others. If you are a member of a service club and would like to share some information about an upcoming event or services provided, please let me know.
If you thought the Lions were only about glasses you are in for a surprise…
I am a member of the Olympia Host Lions Club. In order to obtain the ‘Host’ designation the club must have founded 10 active clubs. Founded 86 years ago, in 1935, we have remained active in Olympia and added new programs to support over the years.
We recycle plastic, support the Lions Park and Lions Sensory Garden in the Marina, test school children for sight and hearing, volunteer sorting food packages at the Thurston County Food Bank and donate dictionaries to third graders, among other programs.
Our Corbin Low Vision Resource Center, located at 2103 Harrison Ave. NW, in Olympia, is open by appointment on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The only such program in the Pacific Northwest, we provide the loan of visual aids, like closed-circuit video reader magnifiers, task lighting, lighted hand-held magnifying, and talking watches and clocks, among other items. There are no income or age limits. For more information or to make an appointment call 360-790-8667.
One of the ways we support the Corbin Low Vision Resource Center is with our yearly apple sales. We sell and deliver 40 pounds of Fuji Apples for $40 and orders are currently be taken. Check out our new website (or contact me) to find out how to place an order. Olympia Host Lions meet via ZOOM every Tuesday from 12:00 – 1:00 pm until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Olympia Host Lions Club also has a branch Club – the Steamboat Peninsula Branch Lions Club meets on the 1st Monday at 6:30 pm at the Griffin #1 Fire Hall, 3403 Steamboat Island Road NW.
Meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. at Tugboat Annies, 2100 West Bay Dr. NW.
They join Olympia Host Lions Club in recycling and apple sales among their other projects.
Lacey has three Lions Clubs. Lacey Sunrise Lions Club will join Lacey Midday and Lacey Lamplighters to celebrate First Responders Day, Sept. 11, and will deliver a sheet cake and Governor’s Proclamation to the Lacey City Police, County Sheriff’s Office, and Lacey Fire District 3. Because of the Covid-19 Delta Variant, they had to cancel the chili and cornbread until next year.
They also provide Flags Over Lacey, putting up 650 American flags all over Lacey from May 1 through 5 July, then again the first two weeks of September.
Joining several other Lions Club locally, they volunteer at the Thurston County Food Bank — sorting food and repackaging meals at the Thurston County Food Bank. Other projects include Project New Hope, helping to provide family camps and retreats for veterans in an attempt to help people suffering from PTSD due to deployment related issues and job stress, volunteering at school districts and hearing aids and exams.
They also raise funds for their projects by joining with the Olympia Host Lions Club in the sale of Fuji Apples.
They meet every Thursday at Denny’s on Martin and College Way from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., both in person and via Zoom.
Lacey Midday Lions welcomes visitors at its meetings held on the second and fourth Thursdays at 11 a.m. at the Clubhouse of Edge Lake Mobile Home Park, Lacey, Washington 98503
Some of their service projects include Vision and Hearing Testing: At Thurston County elementary schools usually September - November. (This project is shared with Lacey Sunrise and Lacey Lamplighter Lions Clubs.) Third Graders Dictionary Handout: At six Thurston County elementary schools usually during November and December. And the Lacey Fire Station Christmas Party for Homeless Children: December event providing homeless families with baskets and childrens’ gifts with gift collecting the day before.
The Midday Lions Club, along with other Lions Clubs in our area actively supports the Lions Eyeglass Recycle Center (LERC) collecting eyeglasses and hearing aids and volunteering hours to the inspection, cleaning and reading the lens of eyeglasses.
Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesday – 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hawks Prairie Restaurant at 8306 Quilnault Drive Lacey
Meets monthly, on the 1st Wednesday; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at American Legion Post 94, 2602 Marvin Rd SE Lacey.
This Lions Club was founded in 1939 and has been serving their community ever since. They meet on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays – 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. at Quarry House - 217 Park Avenue, Tenino.
They support Future Farmers of America, Coats for Kids, aid the blind and visually impaired, All Kids Win (formerly Homeless Backpacks), Dollars for Scholar Plus and the Tenino Food Bank.
Also founded in 1939, Yelm is the only local club that has three meeting days and times – on the first Monday at 6 p.m.; on the third Tuesday at 7 a.m. and the fourth Thursday at Noon.
Their locations are as follows:
Monday - Carlson Cabin; Tuesday - Mr. Doug's; Thursday: Mr. Doug's.
A very active club, Yelm supports eye examinations, glasses, and cataract surgery for the uninsured, Thursday evening dinners for the needy, free Christmas Store for low-income residents, construction of wheelchair ramps for those in need, “Adopt a Highway” -- Highway cleanup with the DOT, Scholarships for local high school students, Dictionary Drive for public elementary school, sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 268 and support for Camp Leo, a summer camp for diabetic children.
You can find more information about any of these clubs on their websites or Facebook pages. All clubs are accepting new members.
Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia. Contact her at kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comment below.
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