WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsLions Club needs young members

Lions Club needs young members

by Cami Mountain

ROSHOLT (WAOW) --  As the economy turned sour, there was a drop in donations and volunteerism and for a national group, that's posing a problem here at home.

Local Lions Club chapters are seeing their membership drop and members turn gray.  Now, they hope to find younger members who will carry on their traditions.

 When Sharon Cherek joined his local Lions Club, 36 years ago, many of his fellow Lions were right around his age and they've stayed that way.  As he's aged, so have they.

"We were younger at that time."  Cherek says.  "We are getting older."

And they're finding it tough to find young people to join.  Jim Schiferl, Director of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, says the average Lion is in their late 50's early 60's.

"The younger folks have been the tough recruits."  Schiferl says.  "So, we're working very hard at that."

While Lions work to recruit young blood, they continue to work very hard serving the community.  The clubs main mission, preventing blindness.  That's made possible starting at the Eyeglass Recycling Center in Rosholt.

"Last year, we served 89 different countries and just from our center alone, I shipped out 172,000 pair of glasses to several different missions."  Cherek adds.

Here, the glasses are sorted.  These women, hard at work, welcomed into Lions back in the 80's.  Now, in an effort to bring in more members Lions is open to entire families.

Here in Wisconsin, besides just collecting glasses, the group also focuses on the Lions Camp.  In sunny days, it's filled with kids and young adults with disabilities.

One current member of Lions, a former camper and now camp director.

"It has been a wonderful, wonderful blessing. It really was a home away from home for me."  Andrea Yenter started coming to back when she was 9.  She's seen and felt firsthand the importance of Lions Club and realizes the importance of younger membership to continue the work they do.

"We're really looking for those younger members who are just young, their excited, they have time, they want to give."  Yenter adds, "This is a great way to do it."

You don't have to give a lot of your time to be a Lion.  Members say it really just depends on how much time you're willing to volunteer.

To sign up click on the link associated with this story.

Online Reporter:  Cami Mountain