The Fonthill Lions are revering 80 years of service to the community this year, with a special celebratory dinner at the Fonthill Legion on April 26.
Life in the Village of Fonthill was significantly different back when the Club first started in 1945. A lot has changed since then, but one thing that has remained true throughout the years is the dedication and determination of Fonthill Lions to serve their local community.
The Club was conceived when Lou Whittaker, a member of its sponsoring Welland Lions Club, along with his brother-in-law, Leo Giles, recruited the support of an eclectic group of community-oriented gentlemen from across all walks of life. The original “pride” included a local electrician, town clerk, butcher, barber, physician, pharmacist, school teacher, general store owner and several farmers. With that diverse group, the Fonthill Lions Club was born with 24 members, receiving its charter on April 3, 1945.
Members originally met at the Old Fire Hall on Pelham Street, then moved to Davis Hall on Haist Street, prior to purchasing 7.5 acres of vacant land on Hurricane Road in 1970, still home of the Fonthill Lions today. In 1972, the land was opened as a park, now known as Gord L. Klager Park, named after Charter Member Gord Klager. The Lions’ Hall officially opened in 1974, a place to bring members and the community together for many years to come.
The Fonthill Lions have always been strong supporters of sports and recreation in the community. One of the first major projects that the club undertook was work on the Fonthill Park, now known as Marlene Stewart Streit Park. In 1950, the Fonthill Lions purchased adjacent property adjacent to create access to the park, then improved the baseball field, installed lighting, built an outdoor rink, financed ice equipment, constructed a change house for skaters and erected a bandshell. In 1959, the Fonthill Lions began a campaign for Fonthill’s first public neighbourhood pool, donating $16,000 for construction. In 1975, they donated $17,000 towards construction of the original Haist Street community arena which was recently torn down to make room for new housing.
The Lions also created baseball and soccer fields on their Hurricane Road property, fully equipped with outdoor lighting. The Lions baseball field is still home today for the town’s slow pitch league. In addition, the Lions recently installed new outdoor lighting to become home for DHL, a local ball hockey league providing healthy outdoor activity for both children and adults.
In 2016, the Club pledged and raised $25,000 to sponsor an elevator, named the “Fonthill Lions Lift”, to enable accessibility for everyone at the town’s Meridian Community Centre.
A popular event hosted for many years by the Lions was their annual carnival and parade, which was always a summer highlight for people of all ages. One very unique fundraiser in 1988 was a “Building Lot Lottery” where the first prize was a 65’ x 140’ building lot.
In their many years of service, the Fonthill Lions held many events and raised funds for a variety of causes. There were golf tournaments, soap box derbies, bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, paper drives, public speaking programs, boxing nights, Christmas parties, Canada Day activities, raffles, lotteries, yard sales, Agricultural Nights, bottle drives, Drive-Thru meals, High Teas and local chef SLIDERFEST competitions.
Hundreds of causes and organizations have benefited from the hard work of the Fonthill Lions. Just to mention a few, the Lions have helped Pelham Cares, Wellspring Niagara, Welland Hospital Foundation, Out of the Cold, Community Social Services, Pelham Non-Profit Housing, Pathstone Mental Health, Eye Care Niagara, Niagara Youth Services, Niagara Regional Health, The Hope Centre, Youth Exchange and the Pelham Library. Fundraising also supports Lions’ donations to a wide array of organizations including Lions Foundation Guide Dogs and Disaster Relief, Camp Dorset for Diabetes, CNIB Lake Joseph Centre, and many others. The Fonthill Lions regularly volunteer at every community event including, Pelham Farmers Market, Summerfest, Canada Day, the Christmas Parade and the Silver Stick Tournament.
The Fonthill Lions have the unique distinction of being “The Motto Makers” for Lions International. In 1954, Fonthill Lion Doug Stephenson’s motto of “We Serve” was chosen from 6,000 entries as Lions International’s global motto.
Always known for their “We Serve” commitment, the Fonthill Lions proudly display numerous scrapbooks showcasing many unique events, activities, fundraisers, all to support giving back to the community.
Rich in tradition, the Fonthill Lions Club continues to flourish today, celebrating its 80th anniversary serving its community, welcoming new members and preserving historical memories for future generations.
Tickets for the 80th Anniversary Dinner are already 80% sold. For information about the 80th Anniversary, to donate to the Fonthill Lions or to inquire about membership email fonthilllions@gmail.com.