The Davidson Lions Club was Charted in 1945. June 29, 2020 was the Club’s 75th Birthday. The Davidson Lions have a long and distinguished History. It has had a major impact on the North Mecklenburg Community.
The Huntersville Lions Club was founded on the 5th of February, 1951 and chartered on the first of April in that same year. The charter membership consisted of fifty-nine community, government and business leaders of the town of Huntersville, North Carolina. The club continues to thrive today as it works to serve the community.
Some of the reasons are as follows:
- The Club has had several long-time Mayors as members or with close connections to the Club.
- It has close ties with Davidson College where it held its Meetings and used its Cafeteria for years. It also had several Professors from the college as members. In addition the, Club has maintained its close ties by operating the Sports Concession Stands for Football (2 Stands for many years) and Soccer for its games including an NCAA Soccer Championship. In 2023 the Davidson Basketball pizza concession was also added.
- Lions Services which employs 150 – 200 blind workers in its manufacturing operations, generated $22 Million in Sales in 2018-2019. Until early 2022, it also had one of the largest eye clinics of its kind in the country, handling as many as 6,000 patients per year, and providing eye exams and glasses (as needed). The cost of operating the Eye Clinic ($ 300,000–$350,000 yearly was paid for by Lions Services operations profits, and support from area Lions Clubs. Unfortunately, the financial support from Clubs, and increasing operating costs, forced Lions Services to close the Eye Clinic in 2022. Lions Services was bankrupt in 1993 when Don Howie, a long-time Davidson Lions member, was instrumental in turning this around by hiring Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Jim Cranford, as President of Lions Services, who turned the Company into a major Success Story. Lions Services is operated by a Board of Directors, over 50% of whom are members of the Mecklenburg Lions Clubs. The Davidson Lions Club has always had two Director seats. while the others always had one. The Club continues to actively participate with Lions Services
- The Davidson Lions Club has had a great and long History of Outstanding Lionism due to its dedicated past and current members who continue to serve the Community and the Blind
- For years the Davidson Lions Club was one of the major clubs in its District with as many as 57 members. Some of its many activities have been:
- Contributing to the North Carolina Eye and Human Tissue Banking Inc. In 1990 it retrieved and transported 1152 Corneas to the Bank
- Holding Christmas Tree Sales until obtaining trees became a major problem.
- Conducting Golf Tournaments from about 1991 – 2017. In later years it was held in Honor of Lion and Mayor Russell Knox.
- Holding Annual Calendar Sales.
- Participating in the Davidson Annual Christmas Parade
- Conducting Attic Sales.
- Going house-house in Davidson and River Run selling Brooms and Light Bulbs.
- Holding a White Elephant Sale.
- Having Special Activities including Steak Cookouts, Family Picnics, and, a Christmas party with Special Programs.
- Conducting an Annual Club Meeting at Camp Dogwood,
- Conducting Broomom Sales at the Farmer’s Market twice a year.
- Brining the Lions District Vision Van to the Farmers Market, allowing local residents a chance to have eye screenings with follow-up as appropriate.
Today the Davidson-Huntersville Lions support a wide variety of charitable organizations and projects. See the Charities Served tab for a list.
