The New Glarus Lions Club was chartered on August 18, 1941. Looking back 75 years, we are grateful for the 25 charter members who had the spirit and foresight to form our Lions Club, recognizing the benefits it could have in the community. With leadership and encouragement from the Edgerton Lions Club, our sponsor, New Glarus Lions began a rich history of community service that thrives to this day.

Of course, our Club could not be successful without the incredible support we continue to receive from the businesses and citizens of New Glarus and surrounding communities. A big heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has helped us in any way.

Over the holidays I noticed that “It’s a Wonderful Life” would be celebrating 60 years since its release. I began to wonder, much like George Bailey, What would our community be like if the New Glarus Lions did not exist?

So here are some facts about our Club and examples of what we’ve accomplished. There have been more than 2,000 members of the New Glarus Lions Club, led by 65 presidents. Twenty members have been awarded Melvin Jones Fellowships, and five the Knight for Sight Fellowship. Since 1956 we have awarded $50,000 in student scholarships; purchased glasses for youth and adults; provided ADA driver assistive equipment; and built a picnic shelter in the Village Park. In 2015 we purchased a Retinomax K Plus camera to be used in conjunction with doctors performing eye surgery in West Africa.

One of our most successful programs is for Youth Vision Screening. Since 2000, the New Glarus Lions Club has screened more than 1,800 children, with 137 being referred for physician exams. With the help of the Kalscheur Family Foundation, we were able to acquire a new and more efficient digital camera for these screenings which is also used by our neighboring Lions Clubs in Albany, Brodhead, Monticello, Monroe and Mount Horeb. These Clubs together provide more than 1,300 screenings each year!

We also help support the work of Lions Clubs International, which today, is the largest service organization in the world with over 46,000 clubs in 210 countries and geographic areas. They not only lead programs in preventing blindness and improving eye health and care around the world, but are involved in disaster relief, environmental programs and health education. Lions Clubs International will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2017.

We want to keep the New Glarus Lions Club going strong - please consider becoming a Lion. Talk to a member, contact us at newglaruslionsclub@gmail.com, or check us out on Facebook.

Our annual Pancake Brunch will be held Sunday, March 13, at the New Glarus Hotel. Also watch for information on our 75th celebration later this year. And finally, as always, thank you for your generous support.