Lions celebrate groovy 40 years of serving

River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club celebrated its 40th anniversary with dinner and a 1970s theme Sept. 1 at River Hills Country Club.

Club president Len Fleet said in the first meeting of what is now the River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club was held with 15 members on April 12, 1975. The club’s charter night was May 9, and charter member Jurgen Meyer-Cuno attended the Sept. 1celebration. The club now has 165 members.

Fleet said at the 20th anniversary dinner, it was estimated the club, in conjunction with the Lioness Club, had donated $500,000 to charities.

“Today, it is estimated our collective charitable contributions are approaching $2 million,” he said. “Our present annual charity budget exceeds $100,000.”

More than three dozen of those charities are in the Lake Wylie area.

“Through your dedication to service and charity, you, the members of the River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club have made ours the largest in the Carolinas,” Fleet said. “We continue to seek and serve those in need of special services, assistance in educational activities, eyesight care and management, mentoring, food, clothing and more.”

This story was originally published September 4, 2015 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Lions celebrate groovy 40 years of serving."