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Date: 2/23/2022
HUNTINGTON – Three months ago, the local Lions Club stood on the verge of disbanding. Now, new President John Bergeron is adamant that they’re sticking around.
“By December, it was down to three of us. We had to get people or disband,” Bergeron said. He began to talk to everybody that he saw about the Huntington Lions, and the good work they continue to do.
Traditionally, the Lions Club International has been associated with research for the prevention and cure of eye disease. Locally, Lions Clubs provide assistance with hearing aids and eyeglasses, as well as offering free vision and health screenings at community events. Another new direction is support of the newly founded Diabetes Awareness Foundation to provide education on diabetes, camp scholarships for children and medical equipment.
“They do much more than what people realize,” Bergeron said. He said that not too long ago, the local chapter helped someone with a bill to get an assist chair for stairs in their home. At Thanksgiving, they helped 10 families with a turkey and other foods. They also gave out $350 worth of gift cards at Christmas through the Huntington Social Service agency.
Since December, Bergeron has recruited nine new members. He said most of them come from Huntington, but he would like to see representation from other towns, as well as more young people. The club’s current members range in age from 40 to 70.
“I’m amazed at the whole damn thing,” Bergeron said. “I came into the Lions Club six or seven years ago. I was probably the first recruit in a while. They were all old-timers.”
The club is restarting its monthly meetings, generally the fourth Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The February meeting was in the Huntington Chapel on the Town Green.
Some of the ideas floating around include community gardening, depending on how many people they can get involved; and more flowers placed around the downtown area. In the past, one of the fundraisers the Lions did was cook for the Indian Motorcycle Rally in Chester.
Bergeron said the club also welcomes all as volunteers for specific events, even those who don’t want to commit to membership.
“We’re reinventing ourselves, seeing where we can go from here with new, energetic, creative people,” Bergeron said.
The club will hear from Beverly Prentice of Cummington, the Lions Club’s district governor, at its March 24 meeting at 5:30 p.m. Bergeron said that would be a good meeting for people who want to learn more about the Lions Club. Anyone interested in knowing more, or getting involved, may also call him at 667-5738.
“The more the merrier! We are not going away at this point,” Bergeron said.