Helen Keller’s Challenge in 1925:  “The opportunity I bring to you, Lions, is this: To foster and sponsor the work of the American Foundation for the Blind. Will you not help me hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided? I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?  Thank You.”

Making a Difference!

Lions are groups of service-minded men and women who are interested in improving their communities.  We are young people with families like yours, we are Baby Boomers and we are retirees.  To become a Lion is to become an active volunteer, a member of a respected international organization, a leader in your community and a friend to people in need.

If you are interested in learning more about the world’s largest service club organization, check us out on facebook, visit our website, or come to the Holiday Inn City Centre and join us for lunch on Tuesday.

Originally Chartered in 1921

In 1955, members of the Sioux Falls Downtown Lions Club hosted their first annual fund raiser in the Sioux Falls Coliseum.  They had 4 cast iron grills that could hold only 8 to 10 pancakes each.  It took the hungry patrons 2 1/2 hours to get through the line that stretched 2 blocks. 

Today the SFDT Lions club serves pancakes, smokies, coffee, milk, juice and ice cream to more than 13,000 people during the annual 2 day event in April.  This remains the only fund raising activity for the club.  Each year, proceeds are used to fund sight, service and youth programs and various charitable organizations in the Sioux Falls community.