In April 1951, the Brundidge Lions Club was sponsored and chartered by the Troy Lions Club. Over the past 63 years, the Brundidge Lions Club has served the community by raising money to use for various outreaches. Among those include sponsoring high school students on trips to Washington, Russia, and other locations and contributing to local causes such as Pike County Christmas program to provide toys and items to the underprivileged.
Lions Club International was presented a challenge by native Alabamian, Helen Keller, in 1925 to become “knights of the blind.” As a result, one of the major focuses for Lions all over the world has been to conquer preventable blindness. Rallying to the challenge, the Brundidge Lions has consistently supported State and International efforts to reduce blindness or provide glasses and eye surgeries for the needy. The Leader Dog Guide Dog programs in Rochester, MI and Saxon, FL, have been recipients of sight funds raised by the Club. Local children have been sponsored to attend a diabetes awareness camp at Camp Seale Harris. Select Alabama high school students have been sponsored for the Alabama Lions All State band and funded to attend the Youth Leadership Forum held at Troy University each spring.
Over the years, projects to raise funds have included pancake suppers, White elephant sales, auctions, and raffles. For many years, the local Club sold Lions candy and light bulbs, and still provides sales of mops and brooms through various local businesses and banks. One of the longest running service projects was that of decorating the city’s streets with American flags on eight national holidays in honor of those who faithfully served our country. For this fund raiser, the Club members placed flags in front of residences and homes for an annual subscription. Radio Days has become a popular fund raising event, with the local radio station, WTBF, in Troy, allowing the Club to take over the airwaves one day and collect the proceeds of ads placed by local merchants and supporters.
Of the original charter members, two remain on the membership list: Kyle Roberson, lifetime member, and Emmitt Boutwell.
