Fifty years ago, 28 people came together to establish a Lions Club in Papillion. And not everyone thought they would succeed at the time.
“I asked three people in town who were leaders in the community; they told me no,” recalls charter member Fred Tafoya. “They didn't want to get involved. We didn't need a Lions Club. But we got it. And 50 years later, look what you have.”
Today Papillion has the Papillion Area Lions Club, an organization with more than 120 members supporting more than 35 local projects. In July, members past and present gathered at Papillion Landing to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary and five decades spent living out the Lions motto: “We Serve.”
For Tafoya, some of the most meaningful service happens while conducting vision screenings in local schools.
“Those little children are so cute,” Tafoya says. The screenings are meaningful because the children appreciate the attention. When a screening shows they may need help, the Lions can connect them with assistance, including programs that provide eyeglasses to children who need them.
“That is probably the most satisfying,” Tafoya says. “That we are helping kids that need it.”
Vision and hearing assistance remains one part of a much larger mission. The club supports youth scholarships and diabetes camps, childhood cancer research, veterans programs and organizations serving people with visual impairments. Members maintain local parks and roadways, provide holiday assistance, and have even volunteered to build wheelchair ramps for community members who need them.
Some programs started decades ago continue today. For instance, Tafoya helped launch PANDA in response to concerns about drug use among young people and proposed an all-night celebration following graduation. The Lions went on to establish Graduate Straight and Prom Straight, traditions Tafoya says remain in the community.
Establishing those programs remains one of his proudest moments as a Lion.
Another long-running effort has grown considerably from its humble beginnings. Hops for Harmony began 24 years ago with approximately 150 attendees in the basement of a Holiday Inn, according to Bob Frederick. Eventually, the event outgrew the German-American Society and moved to Werner Park. This year's event featured 52 vendors. Last year alone, the club raised more than $200,000 for Project Harmony through the annual fundraiser.
Not every Lions tradition is quite so serious. In fact, some are downright fun.
Ken Molzer once had a stuffed lion sitting in his basement, destined for the dumpster. Instead, inspiration struck while Molzer was serving as club president. He retrieved the lion, fashioned a covering for it, and began searching for a name. His solution was simple: reverse the word “Lions” and call it “Snoil.”
Molzer brought Snoil to a meeting and created a tradition. One member would take the mascot home each month, then return to the next meeting with a story about what Snoil had done.
Those stories accumulated quickly. Snoil traveled underground, picked up mementos from his adventures and was even once “hijacked” and held for ransom.
“Incredible experiences,” Molzer says. “It's got quite a history.”
So does the club.
What started with 28 members has endured for half a century, growing through generations of Papillion residents willing to give their time, resources and talents to their neighbors.
“This anniversary is not just a celebration of our past, but a renewed commitment to our future,” says Wes Bain, 50th Anniversary Committee chair.
After 50 years, the Papillion Area Lions are still finding new ways to do what they set out to do from the beginning: serve.
For more information, visit papiolions.com.
“That is probably the most satisfying. That we are helping kids that need it. Children are the backbone of our society.” —Fred Tafoya