Today in our Q&A series on New Canaan’s service organizations, we hear from longtime Lions Club member Helen Risom Belluschi.
Helen Belluschi stands in the Lions Den at Mill Pond in New Canaan. Credit: RJ Scofield
New Canaanite: Is the Lions Club of New Canaan part of a national or international organization? If so, please provide details of that organization, such as the year it started, its size and scope.
Helen Risom Belluschi: Our “Lions Club of New Canaan” is a part of the greater organization “LIONS Clubs International”, which began on 7 June 1917 … thus we are in our centennial year! The first club was started as a Service Club by a young businessman in Chicago: Melvin Jones. One of Melvin’s friends was Helen Keller who, at the 5th convention, urged the Lions to become “Knights of the Blind”: to work to prevent, and cure, eye-related diseases. Numbers: we are over 1.4 million Lions; we are in over 208 countries and geographical regions. We are the only service club in China. We are very often the first to arrive at disasters around the world, as we have clubs just about everywhere. This includes earthquakes and floods in many areas, as well as the local Sandy Hook (Newtown, CT) shootings. We are still providing psychological help to those residents.
Please tell us a little about the Lions Club of New Canaan itself. When was it founded, how many members does it have and how often do those members meet? Also, please let us know how members may inquire about joining.
The “Lions Club of New Canaan” was chartered on 15 March 1929, sponsored by the original Stamford Lions Club. Just now, we are at a low in membership (15 active members) but with a change in venue we are on an upswing, having just welcomed one new member last month. We have worked with the business club at Norwalk Community College to rebuild our brochures, adding a website, and planning a membership drive for this fall (invitations are being printed). We meet for lunch at 12:30 p.m. at “South End” on Pine Street on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month. We would welcome anyone interested in membership to come by “South End”, or to talk with Nicky Jezairian at the Y of New Canaan, or leave a phone message on my line : 203-966-7230. We welcome individuals, or groups of friends, the young and the not-so-young …. as long as one is willing to participate in our motto “We Serve”. Who do we serve? First: our community, where there is a need, we will try to fill it.
Photo from Lions Club of New Canaan
Talk to us about local impact. What project or projects can you highlight to give our readers an idea of what the Lions Club has accomplished here in town?
Over the years we have built/given many things to the town: the arch at Mead Park (near Park Street), a ramp at Waveny, the “fence” at Farm and South on which to post posters, and ever so much more. We have always participated in “clean your mile”, through Human Services and the town we provide eyeglasses for young people; we regularly donate to the Food Bank. We are increasingly involved in KidSight which is testing pre-school children to uncover eye issues as early as possible.
How does the club raise funds?
Our largest fund raiser is the annual raffle of a “package” of Yankees tickets: four seats each at 12 games. We also have a presence at “Sidewalk Sale” and “Stroll” days through the Chamber of Commerce. At several locations throughout Town we sell rolls of mints (4 flavors). We also collect used eyeglasses (and hearing aids) for use around the world, collecting several hundred pair a year, in boxes at selected locations (at the Y, Thrift Shop, Lapham Center). In the past we have provided drivers weekly for the local “Meals on Wheels” program.
What does the organization support?
Recently we gave $500 to the Police Department to purchase two “wander guard” devices to help with finding residents with dementia who wander. Locally we give to the Library, Historical Society, Visiting Nurse, Pegasus Riding Programs, Canine companion groups. Through the greater LIONS organization we donate to Sight and Hearing, Diabetes Care and Prevention, FIDELCO and Guiding Eye dogs (it is about $40,000 to train a dog). Our largest donations are to Lions Clubs International Foundation.
Now tell us something about what you all do that might surprise the average New Canaanite.
Perhaps we are New Canaan’s best kept secret? A little known fact: prior to 1987, women were not welcomed into any of these service clubs. We, the Lions, are a club of men and women working together around the world (with very few exceptions). In fact, next June we will be installing our first woman president, she is from Iceland.