Chambersburg Noontime Lions Club

By JAIME NORTH
Staff writer - Public Opinion

In its 80 years of existence, the Chambersburg Noontime Lions Club has developed a deeply rooted tradition of helping the visually impaired.

The club's 60 active members use donations, public projects and fundraisers to support that goal.

"The thrust of our work deals with sight preservation services," said Doug Harbach, 43, club secretary and member since 1987.

Those services include purchasing eyeglasses for more than 100 needy local residents last year and examining pre-schoolers for potential early vision problems with its eye-screening camera. Club member David Ludwick, an ophthalmologist, examines the photographs.

"The earlier you detect a potential eye problem, the higher the success rate goes up," Harbach said.

Other efforts have been made through the club's involvement with the Beacon Lodge, a recreation camp for the blind in the Huntingdon County town of Mount Union.

"In addition to financial support, we used to send at least three of our local blind people to the camp every summer," said Dr. Joe Milazzo, 80, a retired optometrist and Lions Club member since 1959.

"Back in the old days, we had several different projects like a pancake breakfast," said Robert Zeis, 89, a member since 1960. "We also used to have a broom and light bulb sale, because they were things that people always seemed need in those days."

The club was founded on June 29, 1924. One of its first services to Chambersburg occurred in 1925, when the club worked with the Rotary Club and local chambers of commerce on a community drive to establish the YMCA.

"It's been a very rewarding experience," Zeis said. "We've helped a lot of people."

A recent gesture came last December when the club fulfilled a wish of blind eighth grader Crystal Bittinger, who expressed interest in playing the guitar. The club presented her with a new guitar and case just in time for Christmas.

The club will be in full view for the community with its participation in the Chili Cook-Off on Saturday in the Capitol Theatre, part of the second annual Chambersburg Mid-Winter Ice Festival.

Harbach said the club works with a $50,000-plus operating budget, and more than $15,000 goes back into the community each year. The club annually sponsors the Chambersburg Area Senior High School boys basketball banquet and is involved with the Leader Dog program that helps obtain seeing eye dogs.

"It's all giving back and doing something for the welfare for our local people," Milazzo said. "Since it was in my line of work, it made it more interesting. I wanted to do whatever I could to do to help. Just knowing that you're doing something good for the community, that in itself is very rewarding."

By paying out $1,000 each year in college scholarships, the club does work in the area of education as well. The club also buys into the District 14-T Lions Scholarship, which awards scholarships to students within the district, including one to a Chambersburg student.

"So many people join a service club because their business says they should," Harbach said. "For those of us who are really dedicated ... it is a great experience to make a significant difference in the community."

The club meets twice a month, and each meeting features a guest speaker from an area of interest for the members. Most recently, Linda Elliott from Keystone Health Center spoke about the federal health center's activities.

"We try to make the meetings constructive and fun," said Vic Pierson, 42, current president and a member since 1994. "I joined soon after a visit to a meeting. The guys looked like they were having fun, so I decided I wanted to be a part of that."

The club keeps things interesting with the issuing of fines before each meeting, including a fine to members who wore brown shoes at the last meeting.

"We try to roast someone at each one," Pierson said. "It's only 25 cents, but it's enough to raise some money and still have fun."

Harbach added that members get fined if they appear in the newspaper.

"A photograph will cost you more," Harbach said.

The club's main fund-raiser is the two-day Trout Derby held during the first weekend of May.

"We'll gross about $38,000 and net somewhere around $14,000," Harbach said. "That's a significant profit for a club to make on a fundraiser. The derby is also an excellent way for us to be visible in the community, much like the chili cook-off will be."

Harbach, a Greene Township resident who announced this week that he will seek the 89th District seat in the state House of Representatives, said the public events and projects are always considered fun and satisfying by the members.

"I enjoy helping the less fortunate through fundraisers and the camaraderie that occurs at events like the trout derby and pancake breakfast," said Allen Frantz, 42, a Chambersburg Borough Council member who has been in the club since 1986. "Ever since I first got involved with these guys, I've had a great time."

Harbach said he likes the legacy of the club.

"People will donate to the club and say that we helped someone in the their family 30-some years ago and that they want to give back as a gratitude of thanks," he said. "That in itself makes you feel good about the work that you do."

Jaime North covers the borough and community affairs within Franklin County. He can be reached at 262-4811.

Originally published Friday, January 30, 2004