Lions Club spring Pancake Breakfast Saturday

Nevada Daily Mail

The annual tradition of the Nevada Lions Club spring pancake day returns Saturday, April 30, at St. Mary's Fellowship Hall, located at 330 N. Main, with the event beginning at 7 a.m. and going until 11:30 a.m.

The Nevada Lions Club formed in 1924 and actively serves its community with ongoing programs to support local organizations and activities.

The pancake breakfast serves as a key fundraiser for the Lions, who contribute to the Vernon County Senior Center, the Teen Angels Christmas program, the nursing home Christmas outreach, sponsor a local softball & soccer team and a Nevada High School scholarship, as well as contribute to the Vernon County Youth Fair, Vernon County Cancer Relief, Moore-Few Care Center, the Community Food Pantry, Brown Bags of Love (backpacks of food for school children) and the Children's Center.

Historically, the Nevada Lions Club has seen many community leaders among its members and the tradition continues with today's members. Although Lions Clubs began as a male only group, women have been full members since the 1970s and today's Nevada Lions club has many women members, including those in leadership positions.

The annual spring pancake breakfast is a long-standing tradition with the Nevada Lions, who greet friends, family and fellow community members with the pancake breakfast.

It also provides a chance for community members to catch up with seldom seen friends. It isn't unusual to see a family come in, get their breakfast and sit down with one group, then move on to a second or third.

A drawing will be held for three gift cards for the brand of gasoline of the winner's choice at the pancake breakfast. Winners of the $250, $200 and $50 gift cards will be announced at the fall pancake breakfast in October, or as soon as a winner is determined, with the proceeds supporting the Nevada Lions Club Scholarship Fund for Nevada R-5 High School.

The impetus for the Lions Clubs to engage in the eyeglass program, in addition to many other sight and hearing related programs, was Helen Keller, who challenged the Lions Clubs to be "Knights of the Blind" in a speech she gave in 1925.

The club also collects used eyeglasses that are used to provide people in under-served areas in third world countries with corrective lenses. Collected eyeglasses are sorted at recycling centers, cleaned and packaged according to prescription, and then delivered by mission teams to people in need.

The Nevada Lions have collected thousands of pairs of eyeglasses over the years with Lion Ron Schowengerdt chairing the local effort. Collection points include a drop box on the north side of the Wal-Mart parking lot as well as boxes located in various businesses around town.

Community members are encouraged to donate their old glasses at the breakfast or at one of the locations around town.

"Participants, both club and community members, can feel good knowing the proceeds help the club fund projects that help both locally and globally," said the club in a press release.