Last year, Fairfax Lions Club allocated roughly 47% of its charity budget to youth programs. The programs included: Braille books for children, support for Sprout therapeutic riding, art and music contests, rennovation of the VA Lions Youth Camp, and support to two Little League teams.  We have supported local little league teams for years.  Here is a 1961 Fairfax City team called the “Lions.”

Uniforms Featured Lions Club Logo & Team Name “Lions”

Each month (usually on the 3rd Wednesday) the Fairfax Lions call bingo for residents of the Fairfax Nursing Center.  It is a relatively small effort involving a handful of Lions, but this Bingo night is something the residents look forward to and enjoy.  Winners (and we try to assure everyone wins) receive coupons they can exchange in the Center’s store; all participants receive a small gift from the Lions club.

Lion Anh-Thu Phan Helps Residents Mark Their Bingo Cards  (Lion Jeff Root, in Background, Calling Bingo)

The Fairfax Lions Club blood drive for the American Red Cross was a great success: 33 “good units” were donated. Since the Lions began these blood drives several years ago, 3297 units of blood have been donated!

This drive was timely, given Hurricane Harvey. Red Cross blood serves our community and world-wide needs, but the blood supply was disrupted severely by Hurricane Harvey. Not only did blood needs increase, but normal blood donation in the 4th largest city in the US simply stopped – as facilities and people were preoccupied. So this Lions blood drive was meaningful.  

Mark your calendars, the next Lions Blood Drive is scheduled for Tuesday May 1, 2018.; same location: Providence Presbyterian Church.

The Lions thank all donors (which included many Lions)!

Lion Mike Rumberg Gives the Gift of Life

Lion Mike Schutz Qualifies to Donate

Stephen Bilowus, a local real estate agent and member of the Fairfax Lions Club, is “giving back.” He has started a program to donate to Fairfax Lions Club charities 10% of his earnings from any transaction associated with a 2017 referral by a Fairfax Lion, and $500 per transaction in future years.  Stephen said, “I am proud of the wonderful charity outreach accomplished by the Fairfax Lions, and want to do what I can to give back to my community.”  At the Lions Club meeting on August 15th Stephen announced, “I am kicking off this effort with a $500 donation tonight to Lions charity programs.”

Realtor and Lion Stephen Bilowus

The Fairfax Lions have served the City of Fairfax community since 1951.  Their major charity programs include:

Fairfax Lions Club Charities

For information about the Fairfax Lions Club, see: https://fairfaxlions.org/  or email: fairfaxlions@cox.net

At the Fairfax Lions Club dinner meeting on August 1, Lion Ken Schutz’s membership report was interrupted by two Lion hunters “beating the bushes” for new Lions.  Lions Huey Sullivan and Marilyn Tanner, dressed in safari-like hats and vests, were focused on locating the attributes of new Lions.  They very quickly found the most important trait a new Lion should have – SERVICE MINDED, followed by LIKES TO HAVE FUN, WORKS WELL WITH OTHERS, ACTIVE, ENTHUSIASTIC, and CREATIVE.

                  Attributes of Lions Club Members

After their successful hunt, Huey and Marilyn carried their catch to the podium and mounted them for all to see. Their efforts were rewarded with a Lion treat from Membership Chair, Ken. Hopefully, others will be inspired to “beat the bushes” for new Fairfax Lions!!

Lions Marilyn, Ken, Huey Have Fun “Beating the Bushes”

Fairfax Lions raise money to donate to charitable programs and also perform hands-on community service. A summary of our service for Lions fiscal year 2016-2017:

                          Fairfax Lions Service, 2016-2017