Aurora Lions Club celebrates 95th anniversary
With service awards and a mayoral proclamation, the Aurora Noon Lions Club celebrated its 95th birthday Nov. 9.
Aurora resident Bob Cissell, Noon Lions president, presided at the charter-night dinner at Pomegranate Café in Aurora. The Noon club was chartered in July 1922, five years after the founding of Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service club, in Chicago.
Cissell opened the program with excerpts from July 1922 Aurora Beacon Daily News newspapers which announced formation of the Aurora club.
Aurora deputy mayor Chuck Nelson presented Cissell with a proclamation from Mayor Richard C. Irvin. In the framed document, Irvin proclaimed Nov. 9 Aurora Noon Lions Day in Aurora.
The proclamation cited Noon Lions community-service projects including United Way, Salvation Army, Marie Wilkinson food pantry and VNA Health care vision clinic.
Presenting milestone membership awards was Mario Gumino, executive director of the Sycamore-based Lions of Illinois Foundation. Jim Volkert of Aurora was recognized as a 50-year member and John St. Clair, Aurora, was honored for 30 years of membership.
Past president Michelle Needham surprised St. Clair with the 2017 Distinguished Service Award to St. Clair. His father, James St. Clair, received the award in 1983, was awarded life member status and served as president from 1970 to 1971.
Cissell awarded tokens of appreciation to selected members to close the program.
The Aurora Noon Lions Club meets at noon on the first and third Mondays monthly at Luigi's Pizza, 732 Prairie St. in Aurora.
Prospective new members are invited to attend and learn more about the Lions' community-service activities.
Club president Cissell said, "Our club gives members an opportunity to advance worthy causes, serve with friends, and become leaders in the community. This club means a lot to our Lions, but it means so much more to the people we serve. The Lions' motto is 'We Serve,' and the Aurora Noon club has lived up to it."
The Aurora Noon club supports vision and hearing-impaired initiatives while aiding community agencies such as The Salvation Army, Mutual Ground domestic violence shelter and Aurora Area Interfaith Food pantry with monetary donations and volunteers.
Prospective members are invited to attend a luncheon meeting. For more information, call (630) 767-4813 or email cissell28@aol.com.