By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
Throughout the years, the Lions Club has been reaching out and helping around the globe, and they do this with dedicated volunteers. Fluvanna’s local chapter needs volunteers to carry on the work in their communities. At their core, the Lions Clubs serve not only to their communities and throughout the U.S but also worldwide. They embrace and believe there is strength in diversity, appreciating differences, valuing unique talents and experiences, and the spirit of innovation. This helps volunteers to collaborate and become leaders in the community and humanitarian service. Their motto is “We are saving a world in need. One act of kindness at a time.”
There are 46,000 local groups worldwide, with 1.4 million members in 200 countries, awarding 1.3 billion dollars in grants. The Rivanna Lions Club’s programs include sight conservation, speech conservation, diabetes, youth programs, and more. The Rivanna Lions Club recently awarded the $500 Kojan Memorial Scholarship to Fluvanna High School student Raeden Pitta for a two-year college program and sponsored another Fluvanna High School student to attend the Girls’ State program. The club also sponsored several charity events in Fluvanna County including a 2023 golf tournament, White Cane Days to fund vision care, food donations, and sponsoring a yard sale fundraiser in September 2025 at 124 Jefferson Drive.
The Lions Club International was established in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones, who believed that local business organizations should help to improve their communities and the world. Among their historical accomplishments, in 1925, Helen Keller suggested that they consider becoming “Knights for the Blind,” which led to the organization’s focus on sight conservation. Other key historical moments include being the first non-governmental organization invited to help draft the Charter for the United Nations in 1945. In 1985, they awarded their first grant of $50,000 for earthquake relief in Mexico. In times of crisis, they continue to support those in need when disasters happen. In 2023, along with other U.S nonprofits, they founded the Choose Kindness Project, promoting bullying prevention, inclusion, and youth mental wellness.
The local Rivanna Lions Club meets on the first Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Bunker Bistro dining room for dinner, then a meeting. For more information about Lions Club International, visit
https://www.lionsclubs.org/enor or contact Ken Quantock at 434-242-4608, KHQuantock@gmail.com.
