The Avon Lions Club was founded on November 26, 1957 by a group of local business and civic leaders. For over 55 years the Avon Lions Club has supported the International Lions Club mission of providing services and support on a local, national and international basis. This support has included the cost of training of two guide dogs for the vision impaired, the rehabilitation of the Lions Civic Center at Northgate Park, and the establishment of the William H. Bommer Scholarship fund for local high school seniors.
We have also collected and donated over 80,000 pairs of used eye glasses to the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity, and provided donations in support of the Tsunami Relief Fund, the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.
Avon Lions coordinate local holiday food drives, host an annual fishing derby for the youth of Avon, support the Wounded Warrior project, and make many donations to help people in need with eye care, eye glasses and vision testing.
The Avon Lions Club support numerous scholastic activities. In July of 2002, we chartered the Avon Leo Club in remembrance of Frank Rom, an Avon Lions Club member who initiated the charter but passed away prior to its granting. The Avon Leo Club, based within the Avon public schools, has in turn been involved in a number of civic activities including a “Rock for Relief” concert supporting Doctors without Borders, senior clean-up days and the Lorain Free Clinic Walk.
The Melvin Jones Fellowship is the highest recognition granted by the Lions Clubs International Charitable Foundation. It recognizes Lions who have excelled in their support of Lions Clubs International and their local communities. Avon is honored to have several members who have attained this honor.
The Avon Lions club has had several members who have gone beyond the local level to serve as a zone or district officer, and we are the sponsoring club for the newly chartered Sheffield Village Ohio Lions Club.