St. Marys Lions Club looks to recruit younger members as average age rises

Become a member of the St. Marys Lions Club, supporting local events and initiatives throughout the year.

By Alex Hunt

The St. Marys Lions Club is a familiar presence in the town but volunteers like Dawn Reynen are warning the club’s future depends on bringing in new members to carry forward its community projects.

The St. Marys Lions Club is looking for new recruits to carry on its legacy as its membership ages. Without fresh faces stepping in, there are concerns the service club could eventually fade away.

“There is no pressure for someone to join; they can change their mind if they feel it’s not a fit for them. We require an applicant to attend at least three meetings before the club considers approval for membership,” said Reynen, a member of the St. Marys Lion Club.

“It’s a mutual process. Once accepted, there are membership dues to be paid on an annual basis. A person not only becomes a member of their local club chapter, but also a Lions International member.”

Reynen says Lions International is the largest global service club sitting at a current 1.38-million Lions members globally, with a goal to reach 1.5 million. Currently, the local St. Marys Club has 13 active members.

“If people join, they will be able to give back to the community and make it a better place for everyone. There’s lots of learning opportunities as well, such as participating in international conventions,” said Reynen.

“We don’t push people to attend everything; they can attend when they can. We’re not really strict. People have lives and we understand. We do need as much help as possible to put on the bigger events.”

Most of the St. Marys Lions Club’s 2025 projects followed traditions from past years. In February, members volunteered with the Friendship Centre’s Meals on Wheels program, and, in March, sold Lions Easter bunnies and served breakfast at McCully Hill’s maple syrup bush tour.

April saw the Lions host a community dinner at St. Marys United Church, while May brought the annual Toll Bridge fundraiser and vision screening for Grade 1 students at four area schools.

“Someone who’s interested in joining has to be very interested in community service and possess good moral character, and people also have to be at least 18 years of age.” said Reynen.

“There’s a lot of fellowship with the lions, we have a lot of fun at the meetings. There are jokes and we have an auction at the end of a meeting. Someone will bring a gift and it will get auctioned off to raise funds for our community projects.”

The first Lions Club established outside the U.S was in Canada. The Lions Club in Windsor received its charter in 1920, with the St. Marys Lions Club officially chartered on Jan. 23, 1940.

For more information, visit www.lionsclubs.org or visit the St. Marys Lions Club website at e-clubhouse.org/sites/stmaryson/.

Those interested in becoming a member can also call 519-284-4479.