My Lions’ journey started in 1997, at age 52, when I became a Charter Member of the Mt. Hermon Lions Club in Salisbury, MD. I grew up in my parents’ home on Mt. Hermon Road and lived on a side street about a mile from their home after I was married. The Club was mostly married couples but I was one of three or four single members. Even though I was getting support from my employer for Soroptimist, The National Association of Insurance Women, the Insurance Professionals of the Eastern Shore and the Tri-County Insurance Agents Association, they felt I should also be a Lions member. They wanted their employees to be actively involved in the community and hold positions in these organizations.

Our club bought a used enclosed trailer and installed kitchen equipment to be used for fundraisers. We set up a yard sale area and cooked breakfast sandwiches (scrapple, egg and cheese) and also did french fries, oyster fritter sandwiches, hot dogs and hamburgers. We also took it to auctions or wherever we could draw a crowd. I served as Club Secretary for two years and two years as President. We supported Leader Dogs and The Wilmer Eye Clinic at Johns Hopkins.as well as a horse therapy business for physically and mentally impaired children.

After a failed cataract surgery, I went to the Wilmer Eye Clinic and received a corneal transplant known as a “DSEK” in my right eye. The surgeon told me it was his sixth such surgery but it really improved my vision in that eye. I highly recommend the Wilmer Eye Clinic.

When I retired, I transferred my membership to The Waxhaw Lions Club. The first meeting I attended was in November and I was nominated for President the following April. We were a very small club and I served five years as President but we started to grow slowly with new, experienced Lions moving into the area and joining our group. During my term as President, we purchased the Optix Camera and started KidSight Screenings, our signature service.

While I was still President of Waxhaw Lions, I served as Secretary to two District 31-0 Zone 1 Chairs and then became the Zone 1 Chair for three and one half years. This enabled me to meet with Lions from six clubs in our area, work on projects together and report their activities to the District Governor’s team.

I served as LCI Ambassador after my term as President of Waxhaw Lions and two or more years as Membership Chair. For 2023-24, I am serving on the Board of Directors for Waxhaw Lions and am spearheading a Recycling Project as an environmental service.

The Waxhaw Lions Club honored me with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award and I was also the recipient of the Sid L. Scruggs Beacon of Hope Award from District 31-0. District Governor Gary Green presented me with the 25 year Chevron Pin at Waxhaw’s June 2023 meeting.

I encourage everyone to consider becoming a Lions member. Helen Keller dubbed us “The Knights of the Blind” and we care about the vision impaired adults and children in our area and want them to live the best life they can. Other areas important to us are Childhood Cancer, the Environment, Feeding the Hungry and Diabetes. We would love to have you become a Waxhaw Lion.