The Waterford Lions Club Fourth

The Waterford Lions Club: Making a difference
Written by Lion Donald Schrack Waterford - Every July 4, a parade is held in Waterford and it is sponsored exclusively by the Lions Club of Waterford. Proceeds from the sale of duck pins for the duck race after the parade, and advertising from many Waterford businesses pay the entire cost of the parade. Then in October the Lions Club sponsors a chicken barbecue. This year's barbecue was held on Sunday, Oct., 1. These two events provide sufficient funds to pay for all the associated expenses. But after all the expenses are paid, there is a profit. Did you ever wonder where the money goes that the Waterford Lions Club raises at the parade and chicken barbecue? Well, since the Club's charter in 1960, the Club has returned more than $373,000 to the community. The Club has provided more than $86,000 in civic improvements; $59,024 in college scholarships; $45,327 in donations to the Waterford and Rochester libraries; and $29,560 in grants to local people and organizations. The club has made summer camp available for the disabled in the community through $25,030 in camper fees; national and international disaster relief amounting to $15,510; and eyeglasses, hearing aids, and other medical assistive devices to the tune of $14,393. Over the years the club has provided the local schools $13,569 in funds for drug education programs, donations to local fire departments totaling $10,310, and food pantry cash donations of $9,159. The Lions Club has provided $6,664 to train seeing and hearing dogs, $5,413 to fund senior activities, $4,413 to facilitate outdoor activities for the blind, $4,153 to provide two skate parties a year for local school children, and $975 for communitywide diabetes awareness information. According to the club's constitution, no money raised at any fundraiser involving the community can be used by the club. The money is returned to the community. You may ask: Why go through all the hassle if the club does not personally profit from it? Well frankly, it feels good to help someone or some organization that needs some help. You may wonder what special talent it takes to become a Lion. You don't need any special training, any special skills, or a burning desire to solve all the world's problems by yourself. The club has a dinner meeting once a month to discuss common goals and projects. When a project arises, you pitch in and spend as much time and talents as you wish to expend. The club is always looking for new members. For more information, call Bob at 262-534-5000, Don at 262-534-4555 or Cindy at 262-534-4055. Picture below is from the 2006 Fourth of July Parade

The Waterford Lions Club Annual Chicken Barbeque
The Waterford Lions Club Annual Chicken Barbeque was held on Sunday, October 1, 2006 at Whitford Athletic Park. Coincidentally, many of the organizations we have helped during the year pitch in at the Chicken BBQ, as a thank you gesture for helping them out throughout the years. We had a lot of help from the Cub Scouts Pack 324 and 325. Several other activities take place in conjunction with the Chicken BBQ. The Waterford Lioness Club has a bake sale during the day. Everything from pickles to bread to cakes and pies are on sale. The baked goodies are wonderful and the bakers roll out their own country recipes. This year there was a new twist to the activities for the day, The Waterford Chamber of Commerce held a Fall Festival in conjunction with our BBQ. Hayrides were provided from Main Street to Whitford Park free of charge. What a success that turned out to be with ticket sales and people attending the festival. About 2 p.m. the Waterford Chamber of Commerce holds their annual auction in the Whitford Park building. Packer tickets, fishing boats, weed whacker, paintings and a cornucopia of other exciting items are put on the auction block. The items to be auctioned are all provided by the businesses of the Waterford Community. But the best part of the whole event is that the proceeds are all returned to families and organizations in need of a boost. Over the years, the Lions Club of Waterford has reinvested more than $400,000 into the community. College scholarships, eyeglasses, significant donations to the Waterford and Rochester libraries, the Waterford Fire Department, summer camping excursions for the disabled are just some of the reinvestments the club has made to the community.