The Granby Lions Club started its new year on July 1 and is quickly approaching the halfway point of its year. Under the leadership of President Tony Cappelli, the club has had a busy and successful start, with a very busy December ahead.
Fundraising
The year began with the always popular Annual Lions Golf Tournament, held July 15 at Simsbury Farms. Fifteen foursomes enjoyed a day of golf, followed by a delicious buffet, prizes and awards. Tournament committee co-chairs Steve Couchon and Herb Hulbert are already planning next year and are hoping to fill out the field with at least 18 foursomes.
As soon as the leaves started turning, the next fundraiser began. The club has sold birdseed for 29 years, with John Spatcher spearheading that effort. Even with the ever-increasing bear population, loyal customers continue to support this fundraiser. The sale concluded on Nov. 2 with customers picking up their pre-ordered birdseed at Pierce Builders.
The next fundraiser—the club’s biggest and requiring the most effort—is the annual Christmas Tree sale. The sale will take place on Bank Street. The club is grateful to current owner Prospect Properties for letting the Lions use its property. Trees are delivered the day before Thanksgiving and sales begin the Friday after Thanksgiving. The lot is fully staffed on weekends and staffed most weeknights from 4 to 7 p.m.
Service projects
The motto of Lions is “We Serve” and certainly the Granby Lions live up to that motto. The club’s first service project of the year was volunteering at the Connecticut Veterans Stand Down Day in Rocky Hill. Over the last 12 months, chair Heather Lockwood has collected from members boxes of goods that were distributed to hundreds of veterans availing themselves of the Stand Down on Sept. 20.
Chair Tracy Zeiner led the effort to evaluate children for the early detection of vision problems. During October, testing was conducted in Granby and East Hartland at preschool and elementary schools. In all, using the club’s sophisticated equipment that tests for seven different eye conditions, more than 700 children took part, with almost 70 being referred to an eye doctor.
On Dec. 12 and 13, the Granby club will partner with seven other Lions clubs in presenting holiday parties for special needs children. The event is so big, with more than 500 participants and no single facility available to accommodate it, the party will be divided between two days. The children look forward to this event that includes music by professional DG Scott Harris (courtesy of IHeart Radio), dancing, a magician, crafts, lunch and of course a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus bearing gifts.
The club will wrap up December with its annual holiday gathering, in conjunction with the American Legion, to which each member brings gifts for children at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. There will also be a collection box at the tree sale.
The Lions continue to volunteer at Waste Not, Want Not and to collect used eyeglasses at various locations in town.
And let’s not forget that the club continues to sponsor the GMHS Leo Club—high school-aged Lions! Leos do their own projects but are a big help when they unload Christmas trees and volunteer at the special needs children’s party.
If all this sounds fun and exciting and you believe you can help us, please consider joining. Contact Membership Chair John Spatcher at 860-930-3782 for information on how you can become a part of one of the largest and fastest growing Lions Clubs in Connecticut.