In the most recent edition of The Lions Tale, a newsletter distributed by the Cornelius/Lake Norman Lions Club, Club President Angelo Lorusso Jr. issued the call for new community leaders to step up and get involved in the club.
The club was chartered in 1953 with 12 original members, including a prominent local pastor, the owner of a local nursery and garden center and other involved residents passionate about assisting the blind. Over the years, the club's membership swelled to include bank presidents, school teachers and principals, business leaders and a fair share of politicians. The club's fundraisers included fashion shows and beauty pageants, yard sales and more, according to the newsletter.
Throughout the lean and the hearty years, the Lions Club continued its concentration on service to the blind. Money raised by the local club helped build and operate Camp Dogwood for the blind on Lake Norman, national and international eye research and the purchase of a building in Charlotte that houses a manufacturing operation staffed by the visually impaired.
The projects throughout the years were accomplished by the dedicated members of the Cornelius/Lake Norman Lion Club now coping with a serious decline in membership.
The club is now down to 12 active members, many of them with nearly 60 years of service. The member shortage, and the age of those involved, has reduced the club's ability to tackle projects. The newsletter indicates that there have been talks about merging the long-established club with another club, but Lorusso and the other club members don't want to lose touch with the heritage of the Cornelius club.
New members are being sought and anyone who would like additional information about the Cornelius/Lake Norman Lions Club is urged to contact Lorusso at 704-962-7576 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . More information is also available at www.nclf.org, www.northcarolinalions.org and at www.lionclubs.org.
An example of the club's involvement is the 10th annual Lions Regional Golf Tournament, which will be held Monday, April 16, at NorthStone Country Club. The north Mecklenburg Lions Clubs combine to host the tournament to raise funds for Lions' projects.
The clubs are seeking sponsors at the 1,000, $500 and $100 levels. For more information about the tournament or becoming a sponsor, call Neal Howes of the Huntersville Lions Club at 704-875-3489.
