History:

The Newport News Lions Club was sponsored by the Norfolk Lions Club in 1933, making it the first Lions Club on the Peninsula.  In turn, the Newport News Lions Club sponsored other clubs in the area, earning the right to be called a "host" club (meaning that the club has sponsored at least 3 other Lions Clubs.)

Initially, the club had only male members and eventually had to restrict membership because it was growing so large it was becoming unmanageable.  In the late 1980's, our first woman member, Barbara Duke, was approved.  Since then, of course, things have changed!  We now have nearly as many female members as we have male. 

We are a diverse club, with members coming from different backgrounds, ethnic groups and ages.

Our goal throughout our history has been to live up to the motto of Lions Club International, " We Serve".  We have provided assistance to countless needy members of the Newport News community and have proudly purchased more than 10,000 pairs of eyeglasses for people who couldn't afford to buy them.

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.