Harbor Beach Lions Club keeps on serving through rough times – Huron Daily Tribune
A Lions Club may be formed to help disabled people, but each chapter can branch out to so much more for their communities.
The Harbor Beach Lions Club, the chapter of Lions Club International serving the east side of Huron County, has served the area for 83 years. Despite disruptions to events it puts on and sponsors, it is in a fairly stable position.
The Harbor Beach chapter, like other Lions Clubs across the country, work to help those who have sight and hearing is…….
A Lions Club may be formed to help disabled people, but each chapter can branch out to so much more for their communities.
The Harbor Beach Lions Club, the chapter of Lions Club International serving the east side of Huron County, has served the area for 83 years. Despite disruptions to events it puts on and sponsors, it is in a fairly stable position.
The Harbor Beach chapter, like other Lions Clubs across the country, work to help those who have sight and hearing issues. This chapter covers the Harbor Beach, Port Hope, and Ruth areas, with current chapter president Tim Kerry saying its eyeglass provider is Keith Messing of Bad Axe, who is a member.
“If you can’t afford a pair of glasses, we’ll pay for them,” Kerry said. “As long as you fall under the poverty level.”
Because of the club’s coverage area, if they get a request from someone from somewhere that is supported by its own Lions Club, the person will be referred to that club chapter. Bob Swartz, a club member for 28 years, said that was the case when they got a call from someone whose eye doctor was based in Cass City.
“We didn’t refuse, we just gave her more information,” Swartz said.
Hearing aids are something this Lions club is working on providing more of to those with hearing issues.
The club is also a supporter of Leader Dogs for the Blind, a Rochester Hills-based organization that raises dogs to be guide dogs. Swartz said some past members had raised puppies who were later trained to be guide dogs.
The Lions Club also supports other organizations and sponsors other events in the Harbor Beach area. They include:
- Sponsoring the Harbor Beach Cart Derby
- Supporting the Boy Scouts
- Sending packages to military service members
- Supporting Harbor Beach Community Connections
- Supporting a diabetic alert dog program
- Sponsoring Harbor Beach little league baseball.
- Supporting special needs kids at the Huron Community Fair
- Supporting Harbor Beach Goodfellows
- Providing two $500 scholarships for Harbor Beach High School graduates each year
- Sponsoring Port Hope’s fireworks shows
- Supporting Relay for Life
- Helping maintain the three Welcome to Harbor Beach signs
The Lions Club …….
