West Seneca Lions Club honored by Legislator Lorigo

Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo presented a proclamation to West Seneca Lions Club President Mike Yost at the Club’s Celebrate Summer Show and Hot Dog Roast on July 27. The proclamation recognized Lions International’s 100th anniversary of serving communities around the world and the great work being done locally by the West Seneca Club.

“Today we are honoring not only the work of Lions International for 100 years, but the many contributions that the West Seneca Club has made right here in our hometown. It would be impossible to put into words the positive impact that club members have had in the greater West Seneca community. I want to thank everyone who has been involved with the Lions organization throughout the years for your commitment and dedication,” said Majority Leader Lorigo.

“Thank you to Legislator Lorigo for this honor and recognition. Our membership is a very dedicated group of service-oriented individuals and we are proud to serve the community,” said President Yost.

Founded in 1917, Lions around the world have been changing lives for 100 years through humanitarian service. Today, Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.

The West Seneca Club was chartered in 1953 and for more than six decades has completed community service projects visible throughout the town, including the Lion’s Bandshell, which the club built and maintains.

President Yost said the Lions Clubs main focus is sight and hearing issues, and recently the Club formed a Diabetes Committee to focus more efforts helping those impacted. West Seneca Lions is the largest club in its District, 20-N, and one of the largest in all of New York State.   

Throughout the year the West Seneca Lions Club supports numerous efforts, including Guiding Eyes, a training & placement facility for assistance dogs and Habitat for Humanity; as well as donating vision aids for vision impaired residents; distributing Christmas baskets; providing scholarships; hosting various fundraisers, including the popular St. Patrick’s Day Party and Pancake Breakfast, and much more. This year the club participated in the Ride for Roswell, raising $4,500 for research, and twice a year will be doing the Adopt-A-Highway program.

The West Seneca Club meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Ismailia Shrine Temple, 1600 Southwestern Blvd., West Seneca. For information, call 241-8570; email WestSenecaLions@gmail.com or visit www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/westseneca