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POUND RIDGE, N.Y. The Pound Ridge Lions Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013 and is already making plans to mark the occasion.
We traditionally have a holiday luncheon in December where we honor someone for their community service. This year, that will be the kick-off for the anniversary celebration, said Lions Club President Ed Condon. We have held it places like La Chateau in the past. Its a big deal not just Lions Club members, but members of the town board and other dignitaries.
In the past, the Lions Club has established scholarships, helped out senior citizens, as well as other civic organizations and built the building that houses the towns volunteer ambulance corps. It also helmed a fundraiser to raise money to build an elevator in the home of a Pound Ridge child who was paralyzed. Its currently looking for a project of similar significance to mark its anniversary.
We are contemplating a major project within the community, Condon said. That will be the focus of the anniversary. We are still mulling it and there are a number of things we are considering.
Condon said Lions members have been speaking with a lot of people throughout the town to help identify a project that would be of significant benefit, but added that it was too soon to mention anything specific.
Two years ago we built Lions Park, he said. For this, Im trying to get input from other organizations like the Pound Ridge Police Benevolent Association.
Condon said he hopes that the Lions 50th anniversary activities will raise the profile of the group and attract new members. He said part of the problem is that many people dont even know what the club does.
We have an aging membership, he said. Right now, we have about 32. But we are trying to recruit new members and welcome people from the community to come and join.
The Lions Club used to be a male-only organization, but now females are welcome and currently constitute a majority of the Pound Ridge Lions Club membership.
We probably have more women than men and they contribute the lions share of the work, he said.
Condon said that while joining the Lions Club requires some commitment, its not the same as joining the ambulance corps or fire department where training is mandated and a specific service schedule is required.
With the Lions, its easy to contribute, he said.
Condon invites those who are interested in learning more about the Lions Club to call him at 845-893-0824.
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