Club Projects
The Lancaster County Lions Club is active with many projects underway within our community. Of particular note are the following examples. Other examples include both services and fund-raising projects. We intend to include a calendar of local events that will list all of our community activities.
- We provide annual eye and hearing health screening for all Lancaster County schoolchildren;
- We collect used eyeglasses. They are cleaned, evaluated, and forwarded for reuse by people in need;
- We assist youth organizations with funds and volunteers to support community education and sports. Currently, we are working on an expanded program with the local Boys and Girls Club;
- We support the active LEO Club at the Lancaster County High School.
Here are some of our other programs.
Virginia Lions Bland Music Contest and Scholarships
Brief history of the scholarship program.
The Virginia Lions’ Bland Memorial Music Scholarship Contest is the result of many years of effort on the part of the Virginia Association of Lions Clubs. Virginia Lions first became interested in James Bland in 1938 as the composer of the stirring song, "Carry Me Back to Ole Virginny." Impressed by the patriotic fervor and nostalgic quality of this lyric, Virginia Lions began a campaign that resulted in the General Assembly of Virginia officially adopting the song in 1940, as the Virginia State Anthem. In 1994 the Virginia Senate adopted the revised song “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” as the State Song. In February 1997, the Virginia Legislature voted to retire the song. James A. Bland is the greatest African-American writer of American Folk Songs. In his lifetime, he composed over seven hundred songs, several of which were outright contributions to Americana.
In 1938, as Virginia Lions inquired into the career of “Jimmy Bland”, they found that his grave site was unknown and unmarked. Further investigation found his grave in a cemetery in Merion, PA near Philadelphia. Virginia Lions erected a suitable monument over the grave. The culmination of this work became a feature of the 1946 Lions International Convention held in Philadelphia. On July 15, 1946, the dignified monument was unveiled in the presence of the many distinguished representatives of government, the world of music, and Lions International. At the subsequent 1997 Lions International Convention in Philadelphia, Virginia Lions rededicated the monument at James Bland's grave.
However, Virginia Lions were still not content that a monument of granite should suffice to memorialize the work of the author of the official Virginia State Song. As a permanent living memorial, the Virginia Lions’ Bland Music Scholarship Program was established. Scholarships for musical excellence, for both instrumental and vocal performances, are awarded annually. Since the initiation of these contests, Virginia Lions have continuously added to the value of the scholarships. Today the contest is spread over the entire state, commencing with individual Lions Club contests, and expanding through Zone, Region, and District competitions. The final contest is held at the annual Virginia Lions State Convention.
The current contest is now underway. Here are some details.
The contest is sponsored by The Lions of Virginia Bland Music Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
The Bland Music Annual Scholarship Program was established in 1948 to assist with educational and cultural opportunities for the musically talented youth of Virginia. The program consists of elimination contests starting at the club level and continuing through the "State Final Contest". Any student, vocalist, or instrumentalist, of elementary, middle, high school, or home school age, must be sponsored by a Virginia Lions Club. Any student who resides in or attends school in Virginia (or within a club's jurisdiction) is eligible to participate.
Contestants:
a. Are allowed to enter only one club contest annually and may participate in either the vocal or instrumental division but not both. Students who enter more than one club-sponsored contest in their area may be banned from future participation.
b. Shall compete on the date, and at the place and time, of the scheduled club, zone, region, district, or state contest.
c. Except for pianists and vocalists, shall provide their own instrument.
d. Shall select one composition for presentation and play their chosen composition from memory.
e. Shall provide the required number of copies of their composition as defined by the club, zone/region, district, and state chair.
f. Vocalists shall arrange for a piano accompanist if desired for their presentation.
g. Instrumentalists, other than pianists, whose chosen composition requires accompaniment by other live performers, shall arrange for such themselves.
h. Shall be allowed only eight minutes for the presentation. The contestant may eliminate part of their composition to keep within the eight-minute time limit. The omitted part shall be marked on the score for the judges’ information.
i. Shall be assessed a one-point penalty (per judge) at the state level competitions for every five seconds the presentation exceeds the eight-minute limit, with a grace period for the first five seconds. The point penalty may be enforced at the district, zone/region, or club level at the discretion of the Competition Bland Chair. In case of a tie, the judges shall determine a winner.
Judges:
a. Shall score the contestant on his or her musical ability.
b. Score sheets shall be given to the contestant after the contest.
Awards shall be furnished by the State Bland Foundation Committee as follows:
a. Official certificates (first place, second place, and participation) at the club, zone/region, district, and state levels. Monetary awards are at the discretion of the club:
Lancaster County, Northumberland County, and Gloucester competition:
First Place: $100
Second Place: $75
Third Place: $50
b. State-level awards scholarships for both vocal and instrumental winners are:
First Place Scholarships $3,000 each
Second Place Scholarships $2.500 each
Third Place Scholarships $2,000 each
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Place Scholarships $1,250 each
c. Scholarships are not transferable, and those not claimed within five (5) years of the date of State Competition will be forfeited.
d. State first-place winners are NOT eligible to compete again.
e. Scholarships are payable only to a college, school of music, summer music program, or to a private or public music teacher.
f. Requests for payment to a college or school must be accompanied by the winner's course curriculum, which must include a music course, and a statement from the school indicating an outstanding balance of at least the amount being requested.
g. Requests for payment to private and public teachers must include a signed statement for lessons given to the student, showing the dates, the number of lesson hours, and fee per hour.
h. Scholarships cannot be used for expenses incurred prior to the competition date.
i. The aforementioned information must be submitted to the Bland Foundation, President Shirley Wilson 6213 Settlers Trail Place, Gainesville, VA 20135 for scholarships to be disbursed.
All participants are required to sign a copy of the Registration Form certifying their familiarity and complete acceptance of the rules.
This year’s Zone I contest will be held at 2 p.m. on February 18, 2024, at Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury, 132 Lancaster Drive, Irvington, VA 22480. The rain date is February 2024.
Anyone wishing to enter the competition must complete and submit the following registration form:
Lions of Virginia Bland Music Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
Registration Form
Contestant's Name: ____________________________________________
(Name: First, Middle, Last)
Age ___ Grade ____ School ______________________________________
Parent or Guardians Name: ________________________________________
(Name: First, Middle, Last)
Address: _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(City, State, Zip)
Email: ______________________________________________________
Instrument or Voice Type: ______________________________________
Composition: ________________________________________________
Composer: __________________________________________________
Accompanist: ________________________________________________
(Name: First, Middle, Last)
Phone: ____________________ Email: _____________________________
Music Teacher: _________________________________________________
(Name:First, Middle, Last)
Phone: ____________________ Email: ______________________________
I give permission to be photographed at the competition for publicity purposes:
Yes / No (Circle One)
I have read and I accept the rules and regulations of the competition:
___________________________________________________________
(Contestant Signature,If Under 18, Parent's Signature; plus Date)
Lions in Action
Collecting food and funds for distribution within the community by local charities
Members of the Lancaster County Lions Club, Lions Jim Ward and Pam Kidwell, collecting donated food outside the Kilmarnock TriStar Supermarket.
Lions at the door ask customers to consider buying an extra food item or two to leave with us after shopping. We are also happy to accept cash donations. The funds are provided directly to local food banks for use in purchasing other foodstuffs.
Peace Poster Contest
Presentation of Awards to Peace Poster Contest winners by Lion Pres Longest
LCLC sponsors the annual local Peace Poster Contest. Students at the local middle school and home-schooled children in equivalent grades are eligible to submit their artwork. The theme for the posters is provided by LCI. Three local winners are determined by a panel of judges. LCLC provides cash awards to the winners. The first-place winner's poster is sent to the district-level competition. Ultimately, a national winner is selected as each intermediate level conducts contests and provides the winning poster to the next level.
