The Cleveland Lions Club has many ongoing fundraisers, projects and events.
Joe Hall Memorial Breakfast - Fundraiser (August 31, 2024/August 30, 2024 )
About Joe W. Hall...
Joe W. Hall was a charter member of the Mount Ulla Lions Club, and a life member of the Cleveland Lions Club. He served these clubs for over forty years, and was active in the Cleveland Community Volunteer Fire Department. His other community service included being chair of the Cleveland Precinct of the Democratic Party and president of the Rowan County Farm Bureau. Because of the commitment shown by Joe and his wife Suzanne for education, the family has chosen to keep his memory alive with scholarship efforts. The family supports not only this effort, but also an effort with an endowed scholarship fund at Catawba College.
The annual breakfast actually began years ago as a bunch of friends gathered for fun before the races at Darlington, S.C. Originating in backyards, the breakfast at some point moved to the Lions' Den. Since his death in 1991, the breakfast has been known as the Joe Hall Memorial Breakfast.
The scholarship started as a joint effort with the Mount Ulla Lions Club, and later became the effort of the Cleveland Lions Club alone. The early awards were for $500, and grew to $1,000. In 1998, with an agreement between the family and the Cleveland Lions, the scholarship grew to $1,500, and is given as "The Joe W. Hall Memorial Scholarship”, presented by the Cleveland Lions Club. This past year the scholarship was changed to two (2) $1,000.00 scholarships.
Since 1995 the Hall family has contributed $1,000 to each year’s efforts. Proceeds above the scholarship amount go to a savings account certificate of deposit, with the intent that it will grow to become self-sustaining.
About the Scholarship...
Seniors at West Rowan High School apply for the scholarship through the guidance office. The guidance office ranks the applicants according to need, academic achievements, and demonstrated contribution to the school, student body, and community. The applications are returned to the Cleveland Lions Club for final selection. The awardee is usually notified at the Senior Awards Assembly and a certificate presented to the student before their peers. The scholarship is paid directly to the college the student attends after classes begin.
The scholarship is among the longest-running awards in western Rowan County, dating back to 1981. For 1989 and 1990, the scholarship was funded and presented as the OTC scholarship. Former Lions Curtis and Mary Jane Ribelin and their company Old Time Craftsmanship Construction, led the fund-raising efforts for those two years.
This scholarship demonstrates the best efforts of a community's support for education in general, and for deserving students at WRHS in particular.
The Cleveland Lions Club is proud to continue this tradition, for it demonstrates our motto: We Serve.
Brunswick Stew - Fund Raiser (October)
Brunswick Stew will be on sale on October 28th from 11:00AM to 3:00PM (or until sold out). at the Lions Den (106 Cemetery St, Cleveland)
Take-out prices are $12.00 quart, $21.00 half gallon, and 36.00 gallon. Take-out desserts are available for $1.00 per serving.
Boston Butts & Smoked Turkey Barbeque - Fundraiser (December)
Orders for either Boston Butt or Turkeys will be taken through December ?? and will be ready for pick-up on December ?? from 5:00PM to 8:00PM. Prices are $ each, and include one quart barbeque sauce. Extra sauce is on sale for $1.00 each.
Community Breakfasts -
(January 11, 2025, March 8, 2025, and May 17, 2025)
In addition to our annual Joe Hall Memorial Scholarship Breakfast we hold three additional breakfasts, one in January, March, and May. Normal fair for each breakfast include; Country Ham, Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, Grits, Sausage and Red Eye Gravy, Homemade Biscuits, Coffee, Tea, and Juice. Donations are accepted.
Broom Sales
Lions Brooms are available throughout the year and in three sizes; Wisk Broom $5, House Broom $10, and Shop Broom $12. Contact any Lions member to order your broom.
Cleveland Christmas Parade (December 7, 2024)
The Cleveland Lions Club will sponsor the 45nd annual Cleveland Christmas parade, which will be held Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 2:00 PM.
The parade has been an annual event since the first one in 1972. It has always showcased local folks and activities. Entries are accepted in regular, religious, antique (auto, truck, and tractor), commercial, king/queen, humorous, and horse categories.
Our parade still allows horses (which will be positioned behind the marching entries), and we still allow candy to be tossed (small, individually-wrapped pieces, and no lollypops). Previous parade attendance has been estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators, mostly close Cleveland, Woodleaf, and Mt. Ulla residents.
The parade starts at the previous West Rowan YMCA building and travel west towards highway 70 and Freightliner. Each year, congestion is a problem; however, we will do everything we can do insure a safe and fun afternoon. To meet this goal we need full cooperation from all entrants and participants.
Entry forms are available at Cleveland Town Hall or by calling 704-798-3471. All entrants must return their forms with a check for $10.00 payable to the Cleveland Lions Club by Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
There is no “rain date”. In case of bad weather (heavy rain, extreme cold), the strong of heart will continue. Join us if you can and a fun time will be had by all.
Recycling Programs
The Cleveland Lions Club collects old eyeglasses, hearing aids and cell phones for recycling. Each year, club members collected hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses and turn them into the North Carolina Lions Foundation who sends them to recycling centers for redistribution around the world. Ink cartridges are sent to a recycling center and in turn the NC Lions Inc. receives money for their programs. Old cell phones are also given to the NC Lions Inc.
You can donate eyeglasses, hearing aids or cell phone into any Lions club member.
The N.C. Lions VIP Fishing Tournament (Oct 19, 2025?)
Each October, the Multiple District 31 Lions sponsor the North Carolina Lions VIP Fishing Tournament on the Outer Banks of North Carolina - the largest service project of its kind in the United States. More than 520 blind and visually impaired people apply to participate in the tournament. It takes more than 175 volunteers to put on this event, which is organized by the Lions of District 31-S. The Cleveland Lions Club is a proud supporter of the fishing tournament, helping participants from Rowan County to travel to the Outer Banks through the Rowan Ramblers and by adopting a fisherman. To learn more about the tournament click on the link below.
Camp Dogwood
Since 1967, the North Carolina Lions Camp Dogwood located on Lake Norman has been the hallmark of achievement for NC Lions and a wonderful vacation retreat for the blind and visually impaired. Every summer, more than 850 visually impaired and blind campers enjoy weekly stays with daily events and relaxation while developing long-lasting relationships with other campers. Camp Dogwood has come a long way since its early days. It has grown from one building to a beautiful complex, much more like a resort than a camp. While the camp is located in a lovely natural setting on picturesque Lake Norman, the accommodations are anything but rustic.
Camp Dogwood is open to any Blind or Visually Impaired individual who resides in North Carolina. At a minimum an individual must be visually impaired which is defined as vision of 20/70 with best correction. All campers must be able to eat, bathe, dress, and toilet independently; alternately, they may bring a caretaker to help them. Totally sighted individuals will be accepted when accompanying visually impaired/blind campers as caretaker, spouse, or minor child living in the home that the camper is the guardian for.
The majority of our campers are adults with an average age of 59. Cleveland Lions support Camp Dogwood two ways; by sponsoring individual campers and members spending a week volunteering at the camp. Lions are also asked to volunteer for the weekly cleanups twice a year.
