You are probably familiar with the Grand Marais Lions Club—the members wear those “goofy” gold colored vests, and they have something to do with Fisherman’s Picnic and “fishburgers,” and don’t they collect old eyeglasses?
The Grand Marais Lions Club is part of the largest service club in the world, Lions International, which has over 14,000 clubs in 200 countries. Lions was started in Chicago in 1917 and the Grand Marais Club was formed in 1956.
Is membership in the Lions Club important to Cook County? The Lions Club is the sponsoring organization for Fisherman’s Picnic, one of the largest social and economic events in Cook County each year. The proceeds from the Picnic are returned to Cook County.
Every year the club makes donations to organizations supported by Lions around the state of Minnesota such as the Lions Hearing Foundation, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, organizations that train service dogs, diabetes research, programs for veterans returning from service and summer camps for the disabled.
The majority of the money raised by the club stays in Cook County. Each year the club awards a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior from Cook County High School.
In addition, just during the past two years the club has made major donations to the Cook County Historical Society for the Bally Building acquisition, to the City of Grand Marais for the Harbor Park canopy, to ISD 166 for numerous activities, to the Art Colony and the YMCA for youth activities, to CCLEP, to Art Around Town and to the Girl Scouts. These donations have totaled nearly $20,000.
To ensure that Lions Clubs continue to grow and are able to serve people in need, Lions worldwide are recruiting new members.
Information about Lions International and the Grand Marais Lions and Lioness Clubs will be discussed at a joint membership meeting at East Bay Suites on Wednesday, May 20 from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Call Lion Max Bichel at 387-1840 with any questions.
Max Bichel
Grand Marais Lions Club president
Grand Marais
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