Folks in the Rock Castle Road and Raven Den Lane area of Woolwine may have seen some members of the newly-formed Patrick County Lions in action on Thursday, July 6. They held their second Lions Clean-Up and walked along the banks of the streams and along roadways picking up discarded trash.
Lions Club President Kevin Vaughan, his wife, Linda Vaughan, and club secretary Roger Bell participated in this day’s activities. A truck bed of trash was retrieved and transported to the dump.
The restructured Patrick County Lions Club is still working toward gaining membership to 20 people. This will allow them to step out from under the umbrella of the Martinsville/Henry County Lions Club and regain their own charter. They are currently up to 12 members.
So far, the club has been involved in a couple clean-ups in Ararat, Stuart (in June) and now Woolwine. Club members also attended the Strawberry Festival in May. They want to get the word out that the Patrick County Lions are here and desiring to take an active role in the community.
School is starting back next month. The Lions Club is looking at starting up eye exams and group reading days in county elementary schools. Eyesight health, preventing blindness and helping those in need of prescription eye wear, especially children, are some of the core activities of the Lions Club.
As the numbers grow in the organization it helps the local Lions Club achieve more in the community. The more volunteers, the more likely to have the people power to conquer the goals set and help the community in many different areas.
The public is invited to have a voice in what the Patrick County Lions Club will take on. Anyone can join; men or women, young, old or somewhere in between. The only thing required is that members have a giving spirit for the community and want to take part in an organization that makes Patrick County their priority.
Many thoughts and ideas were tossed around at the last meeting: the Backpack Program, assist local organizations in building ramps to assist the handicapped, Bookmobile fund assistance, Bob White Bridge, the Food Bank (donating food and helping packing and giving out), Youth Fishing Day, aid in purchasing equipment for the Patrick County Recreation Department and/or high school athletic programs and help the animal shelter.
Last month’s meeting had a speaker from the Patrick County Public Animal Shelter, Animal Control Officer Angela Rogers. The shelter is in need of many items and the Lions plan to bring these to the meeting to deliver the following day. These items are: Pedigree (dry) dog food, dry cat food (not “Meow-Mix,” which does not settle well with cats), old newspapers (not cat litter), old sheets and blankets for comfort for the animals) and animal toys to keep animals entertained and quiet.
If anyone would like to donate any of these items, come to the meeting or contact the club president and he will arrange pick up of the items.
The next meeting is Tuesday, July 18, in the conference room of Pioneer Community Hospital. For information, call Kevin Vaughan, club president, at (276) 620-8069.
