Gloucester City Lions Club ramps up community involvement

After more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions limiting their activities, members of the Gloucester City Lions Club are active again helping the community, conducting eye screenings at local school, fundraising, and participating in City events.

A longtime fixture in the community, “the Club is active again helping people and running sight programs,” Publicity Director Min Elders said.

“Eight members from the Club cleaned up the jogging track area that included the Lions Rest Stop during the recent Community Cleanup Day,” she said. “Members selected the section in the middle of the jogging track along Johnson Boulevard as their task for the cleanup day.

“The Lions Rest Stop area has a particular meaning for the club members. It is known as the Thompson’s Oval, an area of 4,000 square feet built in an oval shape with park benches, shrubbery and flag poles surrounding it,” she said.

“It was originated by the club’s past president, Charles Thompson. So, by trimming bushes, raking leaves, pruning trees and removing any litter from the jogging track and rest area, the club works to maintain Mr. Thompson’s desire to give this beautiful spot to his community,” Elders said.

Then, on Friday afternoon, April 16, four members of the Gloucester City Lions Club, wearing their comfortable shoes, gathered at the Highland Park Church of God parking lot at 111 Baynes St. for the Coin Drop fundraiser to help support eye screenings.

“They had their big white hand held board with red lettering declaring that ‘Contributions for the Local Sight Projects of the Gloucester City Lions Club’ would be solicited from the passing motorists,” Elders said. “So these Lions, with their buckets, started collecting funds from the people driving on Market and Baynes streets.

“But that was just one of the sites where the Lions were soliciting. Lions also gathered at Hudson Street and Johnson Boulevard, Essex Street and Collings Road, and Broadway and Monmouth Street,” she said. “A total of 15 Gloucester City Lions went into the streets seeking funds for the Lions sight projects. All had their comfy shoes on and buckets at the ready to collect the much needed funds.”

And, the Coin Drop was successful.

“The folks in Gloucester City know the Lions. It is because they know them, know what they do and what they stand for, that activities like this sight collection drive can be successful,” Elders said, adding that the Lions collected $1,672. “They are thankful to all the folks who contributed making this sight campaign such a success.”