Our Club
The Squamish Lions Club was chartered on April 13, 1957, the sponsoring club being West Vancouver Lions, which has now morphed into West Vancouver Ambleside Tiddly Cove. We have 23 members.Lions began as the “Business Circle of Chicago.” But on June 17, 1917, took the name the Association of Lions Clubs. The Squamish Lions is a member of Lions Club International – the World’s largest volunteer service organization – with 1.4 million members in 46,481 clubs in 210 countries and geographic areas.
Some of the activities and services provided over our 59 Years of Service:
• Squamish Lions founded Lions Loggers Sports – 1957 followed by the Founding of the Timber Queen contest – 1966
• Squamish Lions Provided ambulances, and manpower for service 1957–1974
• Bought three ambulances in all
• Built an ambulance shelter at entrance to Squamish
• Harness Racing at Pat Brennan’s Brackendale track, and Lottery Barrel –1973 (funds raised were dedicated to an ice arena)
• Youth soccer supported
• Senior Citizens Housing
• RCMP Musical Ride – July 1993
• Classic Thunderbird car raffled
• Cash calendars lottery
• Maple Leaf singers brought to Squamish to entertain the community
• Painted local bus shelters
• Sponsored Red Cross blood donor clinics
• Sponsored Victim Services van
• Supplied basketball hoops at new RCMP Station parking lot
• Provided manpower, playground equipment, and furniture to Camp Squamish & local schools
• Partnered with other service clubs to provide assistance to individuals and families for computers, software, wheelchair access, minor home renovations, transportation assistance, food vouchers for needy people, support for burned out families.
• Collection of used eyeglasses for Campaign Sightfirst
• Sponsored Lions Journey for Sight fundraiser for nearly ten years
• Lions Quest – the skills for growing program sponsored in local schools
• Provide two bursaries per year to graduating Howe Sound Secondary students
And not to be forgotten are the various Lions International initiatives such as LCIF, Hearing, Diabetes, and Dog Guides to name several.
Some of the fundraising activities:
Cookouts (Mother’s Day pancake Breakfast), bar service for private parties, recycling of cell phones, popcorn and cotton candy sales, lightbulb sales, paper carnation sales, scrap metal drive, bottle drives.
The Squamish Lions Club has been very active in this community as well as supporting the International Organization’s goals – remember the devastating Tsunami in Southeast Asia several years ago – and we hope to remain active for another fifty-nine years!
The Squamish Lions Club truly lives up to the motto WE SERVE!
On March 21, 2017 Lions Mike and Nelson met Squamish Lions Charter member Peter Alder for lunch. Peter, now in his late eighties, is the last living Charter Member of our club. We chatted for over an hour regarding his club involvement and his work and travel experiences since becoming a Lion. Peter was able to provide us with several leads to people in the corridor that would be helpful in achieving our goals at our 60th Anniversary Celebration.
What a treat it was to locate and meet a Charter Member!
