Woodbury Lions Club Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Members of the Woodbury Lion’s Club and their guests gathered on Saturday, April 16, at Mahans’ Lakeview in Wolcott, Conn., to celebrate the club’s 75th anniversary. Past Council Chairperson and candidate for International Director Carolyn Messier was the keynote speaker.

The Woodbury Lions received their charter in 1936 with Earl Munson serving as the club’s first president. The club has a long and distinguished history of service to the town of Woodbury and supports local, national and international charitable causes.

During the 1940’s, the club held scrap drives to help the war effort. In 1968, its members spearheaded the formation of the Hollow Park swimming pond. The 1970’s saw the club’s first car show to raise money for scholarships. In 1985, the pavilion at Hollow Park was built by the Lions and donated to the town of Woodbury, and in 1986 they built and donated the North Green Bandstand in memory of composer and conductor Leroy Anderson. In 1990, the Lions began lighting up Main Street with the Christmas Luminaries.

More than $500,000 in educational scholarships to local students has been awarded to date.

The new century saw the club raise $20,000 to fund the training of guide dogs for the blind and the beginning of a new, and highly popular fundraising event, the club’s “Duck Race.”

Current president Russ Domareck has guided the club through another successful year of annual fundraising projects including the Haunted Hayride, Antique Car Show, Diabetes Shootout, Health Fair and eyeglass collections.

EDITORS NOTE: The following press release was submitted by the Woodbury Lion’s Club.