In April 2022, Lopez Island Lions Club members will be celebrating the club’s 47th Charter Anniversary with a return to local gatherings and familiar events.

For the first time in two years, Lions will again sponsor the Lopez Island Independence Day Parade, conduct the Fun Run/Walk, plan for five blood drives, sponsor two food drives and invite the International Christmas Ship to Lopez Island.

During the pandemic, Lions continued collecting and processing eyeglasses, sponsored a drive-through Santa opportunity in Lopez Village, sold our Birthday/ Anniversary Calendars, and continued working with the Lopez Thrift Shop.

Lions are also eager to continue working with many other non-profits that help local people year-round. In an example of two non-profit organizations and local people working together, Lopez Lions donated funds to the San Juan County Economic Development Council to conduct Trades Education on Lopez Island.

The EDC offered free training in construction basics at Lopez Island High School in 2019 and 2021. “Lions helped fund the Lopez Island Wood Working Class,” said Program Coordinator Mickey von Dassow, “Lopez Island’s Jones Family Farm provided the wood, Sunset Builders provided the fasteners, Lopez School provided the space, and School Nurse Karen Hatman provided the COVID tests before classes.”

Lopez Lions projects in the past 47 years include sponsoring a fish fry at Hummel Lake, selling light bulbs, selling tickets to the grocery store dash at the former Lopez Village Market, preparing food at the Lion Pancake Brunch at Lopez School, and sponsoring a diabetes awareness campaign.

Lately, Lopez Lions have provided non-profit recipients with a refrigerator, paid for smoke alarms, paid for signage, painted a fence, and cleaned grounds during the United Way ‘Day of Caring.’

Additional help from Lions included repairing the south-end Blackie Brady Park stairs, providing Lopez Fire Department breathing apparatus, providing funds for the Hummel Lake Emergency phone, contributing to Summer Workshops For Children, Lopez School International Studies (Instep), the Senior Center at Woodman Hall, the Children’s Summer Lunch Program, Lopez Animal Protection Society, Lopez Community Fireworks, LOHO & Hamlet Cottages, Farm Fresh, Youth Sailing Opportunities, Education Elder Caregiving Training, Community Shakespeare Camp, a Lopez Elementary School Americorp Reading Tutor, Walking Sticks and Medic Alert.