Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Chet Edwards

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Cleburne Lions Club on its 85th Anniversary.

The Cleburne Lions Club was chartered on October 20, 1920 with 27 members with J. R. Keith as its first President and is the largest and most active service club in Johnson County and a member of Lions Clubs International--the world's largest service organization.

From its very beginning, the Cleburne Lions Club has been a vital part of the community--touching the lives of countless Cleburne and Johnson County citizens through humanitarian efforts and public service.

The Cleburne Lions Club provides funding for the Texas Lions Camp for Handicapped and Diabetic Children, the Texas Lions Foundation (Humanitarian and Disaster needs, Texas), Texas Eyeglass Recycling Center, Leader Dogs for the Blind (Guide Dogs), Lions World Services for the Blind, Lions Clubs International Foundation (Humanitarian needs--Worldwide), Lions Organ and Eye Bank, Lions Drug Awareness Council, and Julian C. Hyer Youth Camp (Youth from around the World).

The Cleburne Lions Club continues to be involved locally in a wide range of activities such as Adopt-a-School (reading and listening to children read and assisting with other activities at Adams Elementary School), sponsoring Lions drug awareness speech contest and diabetic essay contest for high school students, delivering meals-on-wheels to the elderly and handicapped, providing free eyeglasses for needy children, providing college scholarships to students at Hill College and Southwestern Adventist University, volunteering for the Salvation Army bell ringing, assisting with Whistle Stop Christmas and Christmas parade, sponsoring handicapped and diabetic children attending Texas Lions Camp, collecting used eyeglasses for recycling and shipping to developing countries, providing guidance and assistance to Lions Clubs in Mexico, and leading and assisting with numerous local community improvement projects.

It is my honor and privilege to commend and congratulate the Cleburne Lions Club on its 85th anniversary and peerless record of service to Cleburne and Johnson County, Texas.