Hastings Rivertown Lions Club
The Hastings Rivertown Lions Club has been serving the Hastings, Minnesota community for over 40 years. To see all the different ways that we help people, visit the Service Projects section on the left of the screen. Meetings are held at the American Legion on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm. Dinner and meeting start at 6:45. Our goal is to finish our meetings by 8:00 p.m. All are welcome to join us. See the Contact Us page for information on how to contact the Club.
On January 1st, 2019, the Hastings Rivertown Lions Club merged with the Hastings Lions Club. Also, on January 1st, we changed our name back to the Hastings Rivertown Lions Club. The Hastings Lions Club Chartered in 1967 and consisted of men from the community. In the last ten years, they started letting wives or women join the club. The Hastings Rivertown Lions Club was Chartered in 1975 by the wives of Lions members. In 1986, Lions Clubs International finally approved women to become Lion Members. In 1992, the Lions rechartered for their 3rd time and changed their name to "Hastings Rivertown Lions Club".
On October 4, 2018, both Lions Club members voted to approve the merging of the two Hastings Lions' Clubs. On January 1st, 2019, Lions Clubs official became one club and retaining the Hastings Rivertown Lions Club name and taking the other club's charter date and club number #2800. LCI Lions Club International approved the merger of the two clubs. Our membership is now 35 members.
Wreaths Across America
In December, 1992 in Harrington, Maine, when wreath maker Morrill Worcester found himself with a surplus of 5,000 wreaths during the holiday season. Worcester saw the surplus as an opportunity to pay tribute to our country’s veterans and with the help of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arranged for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington National Cemetery. This annual tribute to our country’s veterans has continued ever since, touching the lives of millions of veterans’ families and volunteers.
In 2007, the Worcester family along with veterans and volunteers formed the non-profit organization Wreaths Across America to continue and expand their efforts at Arlington National Cemetery and to support those around the country who wished to do the same. Wreaths Across America’s mission is simple: Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve, and Teach the next generation about the value of freedom. Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers placed over 2.5 million veterans’ wreaths at 3,400 locations in all 50 U.S. states and abroad.
This year, National Wreaths Across America day will be held on Saturday, December 17th 2022. Locally, a ceremony will begin at 11:00 AM followed by the placement of wreaths at Fort Snelling National Cemetery located at 7601 South 34th Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55450 where over 250,000 local veterans are laid to rest. This is open to anyone who would like to attend. Please visit the Wreaths Across Americas website at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ for updates regarding the ceremony due to COVID-19. Parking is limited.
The Hastings Rivertown Lions Club was announced that we were the top, #1, Service Organization selling Wreaths in Minnesota. Our Lions Club is part of the 29 participating sponsorship groups in Minnesota. Sponsorship groups provided wreaths for 20,813 Veterans Graves in Minnesota.
Thanks to all our sponsors for purchasing wreaths from the club. We hope we can do this again.
Respectfully,
Lion Annette Johnson
Hastings Rivertown Lions Club
Wreaths Across America
Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Sponsorship Form
"WE SERVE"
"Where There's a NEED, There is a LION"
Lions Club International Mission Statement: "To empower volunteers
to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage
peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs."
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.
