RICHMOND—The city Lion’s Club is seeking to increase its membership. A recruitment meeting was held Thursday night to introduce some residents to the club’s purpose and workings. Their membership has dwindled to just more than 20 members.

The club is part of Lion’s International, a worldwide foundation founded in 1917 and best known for fighting blindness. The organization has also had a hand in humanitarian aid and other service internationally.

The Richmond club’s president, Roger Priest, emphasized the need for local service. He discussed projects for this year including a restoration project for the city’s Bicentennial Park and a project with guide dogs for the blind. The club wants to focus on “active, tangible projects; stuff that can really, really make a difference,” Priest said.

Richmond’s Lion’s Club was founded in 1922 and sponsors many things in the city, namely the famous Black and White Days. They also provide funds for eyeglasses and exams for local residents in need. Other things they sponsor or help with include Lion’s Grove in High Creek Canyon, the community calendar, and the city’s Christmas lights.

Mayor Michael Hall spoke briefly about the excellent relationship between the city and club. He said that there is rarely a community project that the Lion’s Club doesn’t help with and that the club is an integral part of the city. He agreed with Priest that service in communities is extremely important. “Where the rubber hits the road is right here in this community,” Hall said.

Membership requires a new member fee of $40 and a quarterly cost of $16. A small percentage of the money goes to Lion’s International while the rest goes directly to services for the city. Time commitment for members is relatively small with monthly meetings from September to June and service time as needed. For more information about the club, visit its Web site at http://lionwap.org/eclub/sites/RichmondUT.

Published in cooperation with the Hard News Cafe. Original story is here.