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Vergennes Lions Club Celebrates 60 Years

photo by Photo Provided Vergennes Lions Club President, Tim Cowan (on the left) and International Director Ed Farrington (on the right) presenting Charter Member Robert Barrows with an "International President's Certificate of Appreciation" for his 60 years of service. Charter Member Richard Poquette also received a similar award, in absentia. Lion Debra Bushey also received a similar award "for always being there when needed."

Tuesday October 28, 2014

  The Vergennes Lions Club celebrated their 60th Anniversary recently at Basin Harbor Club with International Director Ed Farrington, from New Hampshire, thanking the club for their support to the community and presenting awards to a few members.  The club was chartered in November 1954 with 25 members, having been sponsored by the Middlebury Lions Club.  Two of the original charter members, Robert Barrows and Richard Poquette are still members.  Presently, the Vergennes club is the largest Lions Club in Vermont with nearly 85 members.  
    Over the past 60 plus years, the club has contributed well over $900,000 to the Vergennes area communities.  Even though the primary mission has always been sight conservation, where funds are donated for eyeglasses, eye exams, and eye operations, the club has also donated funds for hearing aids for needy folks, winter clothing for elementary school children, funds for Bixby Library, Porter Hospital, Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, Project Independence, Boys and Girls Club, John Graham Shelter, elementary school playgrounds, city parks, holiday food baskets for shut-ins, many handicap accessible ramps, supporting the Vergennes Community Food Shelf, etc.  One of the biggest projects is the Lions Club Scholarship Fund which recently has given five $1,000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors at Vergennes Union High School.
    To be able to donate all these funds, the club has had many different fundraisers over the years, including the New Year’s Eve dance, annual vehicle raffles, scholarship ticket raffles, Memorial Day activities (food, flag, balloon and popcorn sales), Vergennes Day barbeques, annual Lions’ Auctions, birthday calendars, Memory Trees and Lions’ Bazaars in the park, variety shows, Texas Hold ‘em tournaments, painting houses, selling light bulbs, selling firewood, and others.
    The Vergennes Lions are grateful to the citizens of all the area communities for their support in our fundraisers and projects, which help make this area such a special place to live.  The club is fortunate to have members in the 20’s and others in their 80’s, representing diverse backgrounds and talents.  When they together, it seems like there is no job they cannot do.
    In 1976, the Vergennes club sponsored the Bristol Lions Club and in 1996 sponsored the Hinesburg Lions Club.  For several years, they also sponsored the Vergennes Leo Club for high school aged youth.  
    Vergennes Lions are a part of District 45 (State of Vermont) with 34 other clubs.  District projects include VT Lions Charities, Austine Green Mountain Lions Camp for hearing impaired youth, Lions Twin-State Soccer matches, sight and hearing conservation, etc.  Being part of the District, the Vergennes club has provided many leaders in several different positions including District Governors (Larry Simino [1977-78], Larry Myott [2004-05] and Bruce Bushey [2009-10]).  Two current members, Debra Bushey and Michael O”Daniel, have served as District Cabinet Secretary/Treasurers.  Robert Keith was Membership Chair during a period of strong growth.  The club is always active in the Traveling Lion Contest and earns awards each year for our successes as a club.  “Food from the Heart,” another project started by the Middlebury and Vergennes Clubs, has grown to be a District-wide activity held each February, when food shelves are the barest.  Standing in front of grocery stores, Lions ask shoppers if they would consider picking up an extra item or two for the local food shelf.  Several tons of food have been added to the Bristol and Vergennes area food shelves in the past 6 years.
    District 45 is a part of the International Association of Lions Clubs which was started in 1917 by Melvin Jones and a small group of businessmen in Chicago.  Today, there are over 1.35 million members in over 46,000 clubs in 743 districts in 205 countries around the world,  making it the largest and most active service club in the world.  Lions Club International Foundation is one of the largest and most active non-governmental organizations and funders during times of disaster and need.  The foundation has raised many millions of dollars to help wipe out curable blindness, and is now actively working with the Gates Foundation to help wipe out the spread of measles.  It has also provided nearly $200,000 toward flood relief in Vermont over the years, as well as providing support for Habitat for Humanity and the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

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