Heritage foundation exhibition honors Lions Club

“One Last Roar,” a new exhibition at the Winter Garden Heritage Museum, pays tribute to the Winter Garden Lions Club, which served the city and its residents for 77 years starting in 1946. The club was best known for its popular community service events, the annual Easter egg hunt at Newton Park and the ongoing Right to Sight eyeglass-collecting project.

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation held a reception Wednesday, Aug. 14, to celebrate the club and the tradition of excellence the club members continued for nearly eight decades.

The Winter Garden Lions Club was chartered in February 1946 — at the end of World War II, when many returning servicemen were searching for ways to serve their community.

Since then, members have been dedicated to serving others and improving the quality of life for the disadvantaged. The local chapter concentrated on three issues: eyesight, hearing and diabetes.

In the 2010s, the Winter Garden district saw a decline in membership as older members died and not enough newcomers joined the organization. The COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to many club meetings and activities, and the Winter Garden Lions Club officially dissolved in April 2023.

The Winter Garden club could be reinstated if enough people are interested in joining. The organization is looking to expand its footprint with specialty clubs in which members share a common hobby. For instance, there could be a Cooking Lions Club or a Theater Lions Club. Likewise, nonprofit organizations that want to engage in community service can become Lions clubs. The only stipulations are members pay their dues and record their service hours. For information on creating a specialty club, contact Steven Van Varick at (321) 354-8796 or [email protected].

Until that time, local residents can join Lions members in Ocoee, Clermont and Orlando.