Kissimmee Lions Club

PO Box 453251

Kissimmee FL 34745

For Information or Assistance, call

407-931-1113

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KissimmeeLionsClub

Rent our Clubhouse for your next party.

Rental Location: 3050 Lions Ct Kissimmee FL

eMail: kissimmeelionsbldg@gmail.com

Website: www.lionsclubhouse.com

History:

Lions Club International was founded in Chicage on June 7,1917 led by Melvin Jones. Today, Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world. We have more than 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 clubs worldwide. We're men and women active in more than 200 countries and geographic areas.

Our motto is “We Serve.” We are best known for fighting blindness, but we also feed the hungry, aid seniors and the disabled, and care for the environment. Lions are a global service network of volunteers that make a difference in their local communities.

The Kissimmee Lions Club was Chartered on April 18, 1939, with 18 members.

During the first 53 years, the Lions met at various restaurants including the Tropical Hotel until it burned down, then the Paddle Wheel, owned by Lion Art Logsdon, a member, then at the Good Samaritan Village Café.

In 1990, we were in possession of property (where Osceola Parkway is today) and, in exchange, we were offered a building on the property where our Clubhouse stands today.

The Club was very active, especially in those early years. Kissimmee had a parade for just about everything, and the Lions Club was always there. We still participate in the Christmas Parade.

Lion Past District Governor Dr. Bressler-Pettis was really what Lionism is all about. He was the main person responsible for building our "MONUMENT OF STATES” still located on Monument Street in downtown Kissimmee. with help from the other Lions and it is definitely a sight to behold. The Lions also made street markers in the shape of the Monument. One street marker still stands at the corner of Monument Street and Church Street near City Hall. Bressler-Pettis also visited every National and International Convention that he could with his big Gold Cadillac with the Lion on top.That Lion staue is currently in a plexiglass case in our clubhouse.

The Lions sold the Rodeo News at the Silver Spurs for the Rodeos. Lion Jim Killip was the reporter and editor. We parked cars at Green Meadows and we had a booth at almost everything that went on at the Lakefront. We sold popcorn, chili, hotdogs, water, soft drinks, nachos, snow cones, and brooms. We have spent many days and hours in front of and in stores promoting Lions, White Cane Day, Eye Care and Diabetes Screening.

The Kissimmee Lions spent many weekends at the Lions Camp in Lake Wales. We painted, mowed, cleaned cabins, and anything else wecould do and then at night gathered around the bonfire and visited with other Lions who had also worked all day. We sponsored several children for a “vacation” at the Camp as well as a break for Mom and Dad.

In 1977, the ladies formed an auxiliary to help with Lions projects. In 1979, the Kissimmee Lions Club sponsored the Chartering of the Lioness Club. The Lioness Club sponsored a Girl Scout Troop and helped with Christmas Parties for under-privileged children.

The greatest memorial to 75 years of service are the hundreds of children who had the opportunity for better education and greater sight potential; the hundreds of adults who were helped to remain self-supporting through eye care and the older citizens who have enjoyed their declining years a bit more or remained capable of self-care because of the Lions aiding in securing eye operations, glasses, hearing aids and diabetes screening.

Kissimmee Lions Club has had three District Governors, Governor Dr.C. W. Bressler-Pettis, Governor Wells A. Moon, Governor Stephen Hilaire and one Vice District Governor, Devon Benton. Lion Steve Hilaire served as Governor of District "O"  (Central Florida) during 2016.

Kissimmee Lions continues to be active in serving our community and providing eye care for those in need of our support. From January  2010 to July 2015, we have provided eye care for 260 adults and children at a cost of $19,455 to the Kissimmee Lions Club. Thirty-six of these cases required operations and assistance from the Florida Lions Foundation for the Blind at a cost of $51,505 to the Foundation. Our sincere thanks to the doctors, clinics and the Florida Lions Foundation for their help in providing eye care to the citizens of Kissimmee and St. Cloud.

Six Kissimmee Lions have been trained as Diabetes Screeners. Ten Kissimmee Lions are Melvin Jones Fellows, an award from Lions International for recognition of humanitarian work and three are Life Members. Three members are Grand Lions for the Florida Lions Foundation for the Blind. We are also committed to Project Right to Sight, the Florida Lions Conklin Center for the Blind and Multi-Handicapped, Southeastern Guide Dogs, the Eye Bank, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Florida Dog Guides for the Deaf, and the Youth Exchange Scholarship Trust Fund.

Kissimmee Lions serve on the Boards of the Florida Lions Foundation for the Blind and are active in supporting the Florida Lions Conklin Center for the Multi-handicapped. On the District level, Kissimmee Lions serves on the Boards of the Hearing Program, Project Right to Sight, and Youth Exchange Scholarship Trust Fund.

The Lions Club offers members little but hard work and fellowship. It affords a vehicle through which members can fulfill their obligations to their fellowman – hence the motto. As we celebrate our 75th Anniversary, we are proud of our commitment to our community and hope to continually increase our membership to abide by our Motto "We Serve".