Lions Club International is still the largest service club organization in the world, despite declining membership over the past several years. Started in 1917 by a Chicago businessman named Melvin Jones, there are now more than 46 thousand clubs worldwide; and here in Ohio, Richland County is one of ten in District 13.
“Our district covers several counties,” explained Bellville Lion Carolyn Brook, “and here in Richland County we have Lions clubs in Ontario, Madison, Bellville, Butler, Lucas and the Butler Lioness Club.”
Brook, who has been the Bellville Lions Club secretary for 17 years and now the second vice district governor for District 13-B, is relieved that her district is doing well. There are ten districts in Ohio and many of those are being restructured due to low membership. “Our membership is strong at 1,800; that’s why we’re not getting changed,” said Brook.
Why are Lions Club memberships declining? Brook explained the number one reason is that Lions are “aging out” of the organization. “Although we’ve lost 28 members, we’ve gained 33 new members. But a lot of those 28 we lost to death. Last year we had 45 deaths. It’s hard to keep up with that in bringing in new members.”
Brook was brought into the Lions Club 20 years ago by Lion Don Scott, who recently passed away. “He literally harassed me for months until I finally went. Within a year, I realized what a great organization it was and I wanted to be involved.”
The Bellville Lions Club was chartered in 1956 and continues to go strong today, despite these difficulties.
Treasurer Dean Thomas, recruited in 1992 by his former high school principal at Bellville School, has been the treasurer for the last several years. “Besides, my father-in-law was a Lion, my brother-in-law is a Lion, and several of my high school classmates are Lions too,” said Thomas. Of being a Lion, Thomas says, “I like the club because it fulfills a community need better and cheaper than a government agency could. And it motivates me to get out of the house.”
What the Lions Clubs give to their communities is probably something most people don’t even realize, but they would notice if the Lions were no longer there. “We do so many fundraisers every year so that we can support many other organizations and resources in our community,” explained Brook.
Pastor Bill Henderson and his wife, Kris, moved to the area in 2010 to pastor Bellville First Baptist Church and joined the Lions Club right away. “Bill has been a Lions Club member for nearly 20 years” said his wife, Kris, “And I joined in Campbellsville, Kentucky back in 2004. It’s such a worthwhile organization.”
The Bellville Lions Club has 27 members and yet manages to keep up with all of their commitments, though they are in need of new members.
Current President Jeff Mussman of the Mussman Law Office in downtown Bellville is one of the younger members of the Bellville Lions Club.
“Carolyn came to our office and invited us,” said Mussman of how he and his wife, Sarah, joined the Lions Club. “We went to a couple of meetings and learned about the organization. It does so much for the community and we wanted to be a part of that.”
Mussman realizes the age of most of the current Bellville Lions Club members exceed 60 and, if new and younger members aren’t brought in, the local organization could be in trouble. He believes that many people in his age bracket are trying to start their own non-profits instead of joining established ones, thinking they won’t have a voice.
“Young people today need to know there are leadership opportunities and a chance to guide decision-making in the Lions Club,” said Mussman. “It really is a forum where your ideas matter.”
The Lions Club is most known for their work with the blind and providing eye exams and glasses to the needy and children. In 1925, Helen Keller spoke at a Lions Club International conference at Cedar Point, Ohio and challenged the Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” They have been involved in eye care ever since.
For more information about any of the Lions Clubs in Richland County, contact Lion Carolyn Brook at (419) 886-4181 or Lion Dean Thomas at (419) 886-0059.
The Lions Club plays a major role in the community. There are many things the Lions Clubs in Richland County do for the community. The Bellville Lions Club provides financial support for:
Eye exams and glasses for the needy
Transportation for eye exams and glasses
Provided trash cans on Main Street
Sponsor the Bellville Boy Scout Pack 126
Clear Fork Music Boosters
Toy Time over the holidays
Clear Fork Youth League program
Jefferson Township-Bellville Fire Service
Sponsor students to travel overseas
Domestic Violence Center in Mansfield
Food program at the First Baptist Church of Bellville
Ohio Bird Sanctuary
Established a scholarship fund with the Clear Fork Valley Foundation for Special Needs Children
American Council for the Blind
Ohio Lions Eye Research, Ohio Lions Foundation, and Ohio Lions All-State Band (all members are blind)
Some of the Bellville Lions Club’s projects:
Built the picnic pavilion in AmVet Park; provided labor and materials
Serve on the board of the Richland County Lifesaver Project – a program that furnishes personal tracking devices to people who may wander off
Food trailer at Bellville Street Fair and Tractor Pull
Lions District Bowling Tourney
Lions District Golf Scramble
Distribute Lions Mints around town
“Young people today need to know there are leadership opportunities and a chance to guide decision-making in the Lions Club,” said President Jeff Mussman. “It really is a forum where your ideas matter.”
