(From Left) Mongo Lions Ben Stager, Doug Newhouse, Susan Newhouse, and John Bremer in front of the refurbished Ark at the Mongo United Methodist Church. (Photo by Alice Bremer)
Sometimes we take things for granted that make living in Northeast Indiana such a pleasure. We have a multitude of gorgeous natural scenery and rustic beauty for which many outsiders yearn, but we also have a great number of hidden gems that make our lives so much better. It might be our favorite restaurant. It might be a quiet spot where we can go and collect our thoughts. But one overlooked gem that makes everyone’s life a bit better is the outstanding collection of service organizations that are part of the fabric of our local communities. The Lions Clubs of Howe, Mongo, Orland, South Milford, Stroh, and Wolcottville provide services to both the general public and to those who quietly need assistance. Summertime is a busy time for many Lions Clubs with a wide array of projects and fundraisers designed to promote a better living environment. Here is a brief synopsis of what the Lions Clubs in our area have been doing.
The Howe Lions started the summer season with their annual Memorial Day Service at Riverside Cemetery in Howe honoring those who served our country with distinction. They followed that with an Ice Cream Social and Raffle in June, and then a Chicken BBQ at the LaGrange County Courthouse and the Howe Farmer’s Market in July. In August, they parked cars and trucks at the LaGrange Steam and Gas show and then sold from their food wagon at both Howe Days in September and Corn School in October.
The Orland Lions had a busy July selling Sloppy Joes and Hot Chicken Sandwiches at Angola High School during Balloons Aloft and followed that with a Pancake and Sausage Breakfast later that same month. They conducted vision screenings at both Prairie Heights Elementary School and Angola Elementary School during August and September.
The Mongo Lions refurbished the Ark at the Mongo United Methodist Church and replaced the swings in their playground this summer.
The South Milford Lions were busy cooking porkburgers at the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne and will be doing the same at the Apple Festival in Kendallville the first weekend in October.
The Stroh Lions hosted their annual Labor Day Breakfast.
Last, but certainly not least, the Wolcottville Lions Club has been busy cooking chicken this summer. They started with a joint Chicken BBQ with the Land O’ Lakes Lions Club from Angola in May with the proceeds of their efforts going to the Puppy Program for the Lions Club International Leader Dog for the Blind School in Rochester, Michigan. They then had two Chicken BBQs in June and one more in July. Finally, in September, the Wolcottville Lions cooked chicken for their friends at the American Legion Post 215 as a part of their Cancer Fundraiser for a wonderful young lady by the name of Katy McGrath who is fighting Lymphoblastic Leukemia. (Our thoughts and prayers go to Katy and her family.)
Often times Lions Clubs join forces with other Lions Clubs to take on projects that are just too much for a single Lions Club to handle. In May the Wolcottville and Albion Lions worked in conjunction to build a wheelchair ramp for a family in Wolcottville. In July the South Milford Lions Club joined with the Albion and Wolcottville Lions Clubs to build a wheelchair ramp for a family in need at a residence on Fish Lake. (Lionism spans county lines on a regular basis!) The Mongo Lions are valuable helpers to the South Milford Lions at both the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne and the Apple Festival in Kendallville. And, in a true display of cooperation, on October 8th, the Mongo, Orland, South Milford, and Stroh Lions Clubs collectively will be passing out dictionaries to Third Grade Students at Prairie Heights Elementary School.
So the next time that you see a Lions Club project or fundraiser, think about how ordinary citizens make this area an extraordinary place to live.
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