East Longmeadow Lions Club

Meetings: Second and fourth Wednesday of every month, except July and August, 6:30 PM at Elmcrest Country Club, 105 Somersville Rd. East Longmeadow, MA. Call club contact in advance to verify location, date and time.

Club Contact: James McCormack (413) 525-6880 or e-mail

• Eyeglass recycling: Under the leadership of Lion Russ Snow, we have boxes in East Longmeadow for recycling of eyeglasses at:
  
• Eyewear Specialists, Associates In Opticianry, 37 Maple St. 
• East Longmeadow Public Library, 60 Center Sq.
• East Longmeadow Post Office, 119 Industrial Dr.
• Hafey's Funeral Home, 120 Shaker Rd.
• Optometrist Belisa A. Basile, 8 Center Sq.
• Ken's Eyewear, Inc. 426 N. Main St.
• UPS, Heritage Plaza, North Main St.

• Journey For Sight Canisters - We maintain plastic canisters for your spare change at the following locations. All this money goes to Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, Inc. When added together, it really can add up! Run by Lion Wally Clune
  
• Dick's Convenience Store, Shaker Rd.
• Tudor House Discount Liquors, 161 Shaker Rd.
• 4C's Auto Body, 353 Shaker Rd.
• Countryside Store, 334 Somers Rd.
• Marty's Wine & Spirits, 199 N. Main St.
• The UPS Store, Heritage Plaza, 444A North Main St.

• Printer Ink Cartridge and Cell Phone Collections - in concert with GREEN TEAM to save the environment. Contact James McCormack for info @ (413) 525-6880 or any other East Longmeadow Lions Club member.

• 2007 Entertainment Book for sale through Dec. 15, 2006. The book sells for $25.00 and offers many buy-one/get-one free discounts at many restaurants, theaters, retail stores such as Ace Hardware, Brooks Pharmacy as well as hotel, travel, auto rentals etc. Contact James McCormack for info @ (413) 525-6880 or any other East Longmeadow Lions Club member.

• 3rd Annual Dine Out for Our Schools - Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 4 - 9 pm at Pasquale's Ristorante, 642 N. Main St., East Longmeadow. We solicit by fliers distributed to the schools, emails & word of month to members, school committee, PTA & general community to dine out at Pasquale’s Ristorante with a portion of proceeds being contributed to us to benefit the schools in our community. 2nd VP Carl Rathmann is in charge.

• The Big E  (a.k.a Eastern States Exposition) - September 2006 (for 17 days) Our club members work in the Cold Hollow Cider Mill Booth. In return, Cold Hollow Cider Mill makes a donation to our club. Under the scrutiny of  PCST George Moriarty. (We also share some of our assigned timeslots with Springfield 16 Acres Lions Club.)
  

• East Longmeadow Lions Annual Pancake Breakfast - May 19, 2007 from 8am to noon at the East Longmeadow High School.. With the help of our family & friends, we serve fresh hot pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee, tea, cider with proceeds going to our Lions causes. Lion Mark Beglane is in charge.
  

• Moe Moriarty Annual Golf Tournament. Monday, August 13, 2007 at the Elmcrest Country Club, 105 Somerville Rd., East Longmeadow (off Rte 83). Our club staffs the registration booths, golf holes for various contests. Cost is only $95.00 pp, includes picnic lunch and buffet dinner. The Jaycees' Miss East Longmeadow attends the golf outing and banquet after the golfing. New this year: an exciting "HOLE IN ONE CONTEST" for a Ford Mustang on one hole and additional prizes on all Par 3's - for one price of $5.00. Co-Chairpersons Bob Zumbruski, Bob Guilmette and 1st VP Jim McCormack are in charge.
  


• East Longmeadow Lions Annual Picnic for the Blind. June 16, 2007, Noon to 4 pm at Pine Knoll in East Longmeadow. Our club provides a free outdoor cookout picnic for the Blind and their caregivers from our area. We also provide musical entertainment. Co-Chairpersons Pete Bampos and 1st VP Jim McCormack are in charge.
  


• Dine in Style. A raffle event with the final drawing to be held in June 2006. Tickets went on sale January 21, 2006. First Prize is a $125 Gift Certificate and Limousine Service to your choice of the Delaney House of Holyoke, Eastside Grille of Easthampton, Horizons Restaurant of Wilbraham, Student Prince of Springfield, Zoe's Fish & Chop of Easthampton, Hofbrahaus of West Springfield, School Street Bistro of Westfield or the Williams House of Williamsburg. Second Prize is a $75 Gift Certificate to on to these restaurants   Tickets are $1 each of a book of 6 for $5, available from East Longmeadow Lions.
  

• U.S.P.S./NALC Letter Carriers National Food Drive and Lions Eyeglass Drive - May 2006. Covering the areas of East Longmeadow Longmeadow and parts of Springfield and working with the Longmeadow and Springfield 16 Acres Lions Clubs, we assist  with the loading, sorting of food and eyeglasses for food distribution to local food banks and eyeglasses for recycling. Lion Al Grimaldi in charge.
  

• East Longmeadow Lions Group Blood Donor Program -  January 20, 2006. Our club participates annually in this blood drive at Baystate Medical Blood Donor Center.  Lion Lloyd Oakes in charge.
• "The East Longmeadow Lions Club were among the first groups to join in 1990 and have remained among the most reliable. Over the years, the East Longmeadow Lions have provided at least 704 donations, either holding or vying for first place every year[in the Group Blood Donor Program]. The compassionate and spirited group always brightens the day for our staff, as well as other donors and patients who often get caught up in the fun." Bill Montiglio, Baystate Medical Center Blood Donor Co-ordinator


• Annual Town Christmas Tree Lighting & Nativity Scene Display -  month of December -  our club maintains and lights the huge spruce in the Town center rotary. We pay for the electricity, put and take down the Nativity scene. On the night the lights are first turned on, Santa arrives in grand style on the Town's fire truck and the Congregational church has a living nativity scene and offers the general public hot chocolate and cookies while the little ones give Santa their Christmas lists.Christmas Tree lighting under the direction of Co-Chairpersons Lions Bill Dixon and Wally Clune. Christmas Scene led by Lion Jim Davis.
  

• 4th of July Parade - Our club has a float in the parade, which has an average attendance of 60,000 people. Our club also sponsors a band every year. This year, the Town's 4th of July Chairperson is none other that East Longmeadow Lions Carl Ohlin, the May 2005 recipient of the East Longmeadow Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Lion Jim McKnight is in charge.
  

• 4th of July Carnival - June 29 - July 3, 2006. Veteran's Field on Maple St.  We have a large LIONS booth having a "radar gun" which measures the speed of the softballs thrown {3 balls for a dollar}for a donation to the Lions. We have one score for the men and another for the women. Then we have a small pool filled with water and magnetic fish & tug boats for the little tots along with a small basketball hoop for the young ones as well. The parents love the booth as our prices are so reasonable that they allow the children to play several times for the opportunity to win some candy. Under the leadership of Lion Scott Grabowski.

• WGBY Public Television Telethon - December 2006 - Our club members volunteered their personal time to raise a record $17,000 in 4 hours. WGBY was so happy that they mentioned the East Longmeadow Lions many times and said we were "Mightily Roaring" that night! Organized by Lion Mark Beglane.

• Children's Halloween Costume Party -  For Kindergarten through Grade 5. Lion Judges awarded prizes to the top 3 winners in each grade category. A very talented and entertaining balloon clown was there throughout the evening designing creative balloons for children of all ages. Cider & Punch Drinks, cookies, cupcakes were served to everyone’s delight. All prizes were donated. Lion Jim Calabrese is in charge.

• Distinguished Citizen of the Year

• Best Large Club, District 33Y
• Second Place
• 1994 - 1995
• 1999 - 2000
• 2002 - 2003
• 2003 - 2004
• 2004 - 2005
• 2005 - 2006
  

• Best Scrapbook
• Third Place
• 1980 - 1981
  

Information provided by East Longmeadow Lions Susan J. Grimaldi and  Jim McCormack.

Web Page created by Lion Dennis Waller (Northampton Lions Club)

Last updated 4/4/2007