Pasadena Lions Club Memorial Trust
A description of the Pasadena Lions Club Memorial Trust history is below. The Memorial Trust is a fund maintained through gifts and bequests to our club, and the income from it is judiciously administered by a Board of Trustees to augment the service activities which we are able to support each year through our other fund raising efforts. If you are aware of a financial need within the community which falls within our objectives, or if you wish to submit an application for funds, you should bring it to the attention of the Memorial Trust chair by sending an email to pasadenalionsmemorialtrust@gmail.com. You may call and/or text us at (626) 775-7461 as well. Any member of the Board of Trustees will be happy to further explain the trust and its activities to you.
The Pasadena Lions Club Memorial Trust does not support staff salaries.
Click or tap this link for a downloadable application
Pasadena Lions Club Memorial Trust 2023-2024 Board
Mitchell Pomerantz, Chair
Kirit M. Davé, Treasurer
Jhoana Hirasuna, Secretary
Donna Pomerantz, Board Member
Patrick Riley, Board Member
Ronald C. Bailey, Board Member (Non-voting)
The Story of the Memorial Trust Fund
Historically, Olive M. Harris was a volunteer worker in the office of Lion Ted R. Smith (President 1963-64 and 1979-80) who, at the time, was Director of Civil Defense for the City of Pasadena. During the years of her volunteer service, she became aware of the activities of our Club, particularly as they related to our work with and for people who were blind. She learned about the Braille Club, the Vista Nova Home, the Eye-bank, student help, White Cane Days and our help, in general, to the visually impaired. She became intensely interested in all of these causes and projects.
In the Spring of 1971, Olive M. Harris passed away and the Pasadena Host Lions Club lost one of its ardent supporters. In furtherance of her concern, she left a bequest of $50,000.00 to this Club which was the beginning of our Memorial Trust Fund. Since that time, the Fund has been augmented by other bequests and gifts from persons who, likewise, have become interested in our work.
This saga of our Memorial Trust Fund closes with a fitting eulogy: “It may be said that from the great heart of a little lady, a mighty fund has grown, ever to live on, helping those who are blind or visually impaired — to see all things beautiful!” May God bless the soul of Olive M. Harris.
In 2004 Past President Georgy Russell passed away and contributed virtually all of her estate to the Memorial Trust. Her legacy will always live on, and the Trust will be able to do much more toward its target recipients, the blind, the disabled and children.
Perhaps some of our own members, their friends or associates have become imbued with the idea that they, too, would like to participate in the maintenance of this great Fund.
