Acton Lions Club Dinner Meetings & Activities

Please note that the Acton Lions Club dinner meetings are for Acton Lions Club members and invited guests. Please consider joining the Acton Lions Club to attend a dinner meeting. Thank you

Upcoming dinner meetings & events:

Tuesday, June 2nd - Acton Lions Tom Cates will discuss AI for Real Life - Taking Out Rocks, Adding Inches and Staying in Control.

Monday, June 1st - Please support the Acton Lions Golf Classic and the community, come play some golf, meet Acton Lions Club members, meet new friends and enjoy the dinner afterwards. We hope you can make it!

The famous Acton Lions town fair is coming up....

Previous dinner meetings & events:

Tuesday, May 19th - Acton Lion Tom Fredericks will discuss the history and the operations at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford together with his work at Hanscom.

Saturday, May 16th - a few Lions donated their time to help out at House Hold Goods with some light-medium-heavy lifting and moving and some photos from 2024 and 2025

Tuesday, May 5---Matt Baskin, A-B graduate and son of Lion Dave Baskin, will discuss his job as assignment editor at WGBH radio in Boston. How does a newsroom work?

https://www.wgbh.org/radio-podcasts

Brian Lisse will give us an update on The Bridges to Malawi program

• https://bridgestomalawi.org/

Patriots Day Clean-up - The Acton Lions were busy Saturday morning April 11th, cleaning up Route 2A/119 in Acton for the April 19th Patriots Day march thru Acton to the Old North Bridge. Many hands make light work as over 20 Lions and friends were there to help. Thank you to all of the volunteers.

Tuesday, April 7---David Kelly, Chief Global Strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, will join us for the third straight year and offer his insights on the economy and the markets.

Tuesday, March 17---Patrick McCall, Assistant Superintendent of the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, will join us and share the institution’s work. Perkins, founded in 1829, is the oldest school for the blind in the United States. Among its notable alumni are Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan.

https://www.perkins.org/

February 3---A-B history teacher Mary Price Maddux will share her wonderful and heartwarming summer 2025 trip to Malawi with the Malawi Children’s Mission where she taught for ten days in a K-8 school.

Tuesday, January 20th --- Joanne Bissetta, Acton-Boxborough Farmers Market. The mission of the Acton-Boxborough Farmers Market is to showcase local sustainable agriculture and promote organic practices; to educate the public on food and agriculture topics; to provide for direct, informed relationships between farmers and consumers; and to benefit local farmers and the local economy, as well as public health, community vitality, and regional environmental and economic sustainability.

Recent Donations

We raise money, so we can support local events and organizations and strengthening our  community connections.  Please contact us if you'd like more information.

 

This is the Acton Lions Club 70th Anniversary

The Acton Lions Club, chartered in 1955, currently has 72 members who give their time freely to help those in need and the less fortunate. We normally meet monthly for a 6:30 pm dinner meeting on the first and / or third Tuesday of the month, which varies during the year, at The Atlantic Sea Grill (77 Great Road, Acton, MA).  An elected Board of Directors governs the Club, which meets monthly.

We are one of over 45,000 clubs that comprises Lions Clubs International, the largest service organization in the world with over 1.5 million members in 185 countries. Lions are known worldwide for eye research and their service to the blind.

Since 1955 the Acton Lions, now in their 70th year, have contributed over $600,000 to the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, which is #2 among all Lions clubs in the State.  

In addition to eye research, the Acton Lions provide support to many local charitable organizations and community efforts. We also award several $1,500 scholarships to graduating ABRHS seniors each year. 

Membership in the Acton Lions Club is open to all without regard to race, gender, religious beliefs or national origin. Click on the "Contact us" link at the top left of the page for more information about joining the Lions or contact any active club member.

 

The Acton Lions Club Jan-Jun 2026 schedule

 

 

 

    Acton Lions Club Officers

 

         Officers                                           2025-2026

         President                                         Gary Kappel
         First Vice President                         Barbara DeFlorio
         Second Vice President                    Rich Langin

         Secretary                                         Lee Daniel
         Treasurer                                         Dan Busse
         Financial Secretary                          Mike Kaminski
         Membership:                                    Mike Kaminski

                                                                  Bill Mullin

                                                                  Andy Heiniluoma  
         Program Chairperson                      Jon Benson
         Publicity Social Media                     Gary Kappel

         Bulletin Editor                                  Rich Langin 

         Directors 1 Year:                             Gib Smith

                                                                 Bill Ryan

                                                                 Brian Lentrichia

          Directors 2 Year:                            Jeff Colucci

                                                                 Tom Cates

                                                                  Peter Grant

           Tail Twister:                                    Brian Flood

           Lion Tamer:                                    Mickey McGurl

           Branding:                                       Gary Kappel

 

A little bit about the Acton Lions Club Board of Director's 

A poem in honor of the 2025–2026 Board

In the heart of Acton’s bustling town,
Where service shines like gold,
A pride of Lions stands together—
Courageous, kind, and bold.

At the helm sits Gary Kappel,
President with steady hand;
A guiding star, a voice of calm,
Who helps this mighty pride withstand.

Barbara DeFlorio, First Vice President,
Adds warmth and wisdom’s spark;
Her steady light keeps meetings bright
When evenings wander dark.

Rich Langin, Second Vice President
A planner sharp and true,

Steps in with vision, heart, and grit—

A leader through and through.

Lee Daniel, pen in motion,
Keeps the minutes firm and clear—
A Secretary who captures
Every moment, every year.

Treasurer Dan Busse balances
Each dollar, cent, and due;
With careful hands and trusted mind,
He sees the budget through.

And guarding all things financial,
Mike Kaminski stands with pride—
A steward of the members’ trust,
Always working by our side.

With Kaminski, Bill Mullin,
And Andy Heiniluoma too,
Membership grows stronger
As this dedicated trio moves anew.

For programs rich and varied,
Jon Benson plans each theme—
From speakers grand to evenings full
Of fellowship and team.

Publicity and social stories
Find their spark in Gary’s art;
A photo here, a post out there—
He lifts the Club with heart.

And Rich, the mighty Bulletin Editor,
Keeps the news both sharp and bright,
Each issue crafted carefully,
A pleasure to read each night.

The Directors stand as steady oak:
Gib Smith, Bill Ryan, Brian Lentrichia—
One-year guardians of the pride.
And for two-year terms, with equal strength,
Jeff Colucci, Tom Cates, Peter Grant
Walk proudly by their side.

The laughter rings when Brian Flood,
Our Tail Twister, takes the floor—
A joke, a smile, a playful fine—
He keeps us wanting more.

And guarding banners, bells, and gear,
Mickey McGurl, our loyal Tamer,
Ensures the meeting’s spirit shines
With pride and perfect glamour.

Branding’s torch—bright, polished, strong—
Is once again in Gary’s care,
A craftsman shaping how the Lions
Appear to all, everywhere.

So, here is to Acton’s noble pride—
A Board both strong and true;
With hearts that serve, hands built for work,
And a bond that always grew.

May their service light the pathway,
May their fellowship inspire,
For in the Acton Lions’ story
Burns a warm and timeless fire.

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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.