Lions Dreams Come True
If dreams are for the right things, and to help people, it's worth working to make them come true. The dream of this story started when one of the organizers, charter member, and past president of Kent Island Lions Club in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, Lion Percy Thomas and his wife Evelyn, bought thirteen acres of land with the idea of building a small nursing home in 1960. After much research and contemplation, they found that the cost and government regulations would make this project prohibitive for them.
The Kent Island Lions Club, always seeking good community endeavors, knew there were no local recreation parks and no immediate plans to have one, so a committee was formed. The Club purchased the thirteen acres from Lion Thomas for half its value, and received a grant to plan a professional park. After several years, they found that they had not accumulated the needed funds for the park. Queen Anne's County Parks and Recreation Department became interested in just such a park as these Lions had in mind. The land was sold to the county and together, in 1975, the Lions and the County created a park which was bigger and better than the Lions could have afforded alone.
One of the Kent Island Lions Club projects at that time was selling Christmas trees. Fifteen acres were purchased with the idea of a Lions Club/Community Center and area for growing their own Christmas trees. Within a few years, the tree business could be found on every corner and at many stores, so they stopped selling trees.
As always, the Lions continued looking for community projects. Several members were into or close to retirement age and the idea of a retirement home became one of their focuses. Here again was something too big for the Club alone if it was to be something the whole area would be proud of, so they formed another committee and approached the County with the idea of a Senior Center/Day Care Center for senior adults. This plan sounded good to them, but the County lacked the funds for the facility. The Lions made a proposal to the County to donate the land, fifteen acres valued at $400,000, if the County would start building within a year, and if the center would be entirely for senior citizens. If it was not started within the year, the land would revert back to the Kent Island Lions Club. The Lions also reserved the right to authorize anything developed on the land. County and state officials went to work and received grants and budget items to get a contract for over a million dollars.
The Percy Thomas Center dedication ceremony was on Sunday, April 11, 1999. It has been one of the most successful facilities in the area, with over 14, 000 square feet of space, including an office for Lion's trophies and memorabilia, where the Lions Club Directors met on the first Monday of every month. A separate 16 by 30 foot building on the premises holds Lions Club supplies and medical equipment for loan to the community.
After a few years, the Housing Authority decided to obtain grants to build a Senior housing facility on the land, with eighty-five units, and connect it to the Center. Ground breaking for the Terrapin Grove Senior Housing was on June 26, 2001, and it opened on May 20, 2003, with a waiting list for all eighty-five units. This facility was about fifteen million dollars. Plans are then made for nine one-bedroom, wheelchair accessible, cottage-type units to house additional senior citizens.
These things have happened, and have been successful, not just because of dreams, but also due to the follow-through, work, dedication, and community loyalty of the Kent Island Lions and the many county and state organizations, and residents of the area.
