Albion Lions Club celebrates 95th anniversary
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Albion Lions Club celebrated its 95th anniversary with a dinner on Saturday evening at Hickory Ridge Golf Resort.
Ron Albertson, a past president of the club and current vice president, is shown speaking during the dinner.
Other people at the head table include, from left: Lloyd Wright, club treasurer; Kevin Howard, the club’s tail twister; Howard’s wife, Vicki; Dee Robinson; Bill Robinson, club president and Dee’s husband; District Governor Rick Whitney; Whitney’s wife, Lois; Ron Albertson; and Ron’s wife, Jill.
Albertson said the Lions Club has many long-term dedicated members and also recently has welcomed several new ones.
District Governor Rick Whitney, right, congratulates Bill Robinson, Albion Lions Club president, on the club’s 95th anniversary.
The club currently has 22 members. They are active in the annual Rock the Park music fest, which raises funds for Bullard Park. The Albion Lions also gives out scholarships to graduating seniors, sponsors a youth baseball team and works on other community projects, raising money with a sausage booth at the Strawberry Festival, and by selling roses on Mother’s Day and geraniums during Memorial Day.
Rick Whitney, the district governor, is also the Allegany County sheriff. He has been a Lions Club member for 36 years. He urged people to volunteer in some way through community service.
“There are so many people out there who need our help,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be the Lions Club. It can be any community service.”
The club in Albion is the second oldest in the region between Niagara Falls and Rochester. Only the Lions Club in Rochester predates the club in Albion.
The Lions organization started in 1917 and has grown to 1.4 million members in 48,000 clubs in more than 200 countries.
Sarah Gardner, a member of the Hickory Ridge staff, cuts the celebratory cake for the Lions Club. Jill Albertson is at left.
What About Jane provided the musical entertainment during the celebration. The band includes, from left: Tom Smith, Ronda Smith, Jan Erakare and Gary Smith. Tom and Gary are brothers and Ronda is married to Gary Smith.
The Rev. Wilfred Moss, a past president of the Lions Club and a member since 1997, leads the group in a closing prayer during the Club’s 95th anniversary celebration.
