Giving back and having fun with the Wittenberg Lions Club

By: 
Miriam Nelson
mnelson@newmedia-wi.com

For more than 100 years, members of Lions Club International have been serving their communities and helping to support friends and neighbors. Locally, that mission is being accomplished by the 25 members of the Wittenberg Lions Club. But there are still more roles to fill, and new members are always welcome.

The local Lions say they enjoy raising money through a series of fundraisers, and they have even more fun giving it away. Their plan this year is to dole out more than $19,000. With the exception of about $2,000 that is earmarked for national and international projects, the rest of the funds will be given away locally, said Blaine Koch, a 32-year Wittenberg Lion.

“We’re laughing and having fun with people from all walks of life who are genuinely concerned about giving back,” he said.

Dale Hartleben, who has been a Lion for just a few years, added that the group has been very welcoming. “That’s what I like about it; I feel comfortable there,” he said.

Many area organizations benefit from the Lions’ generosity. The Wittenberg Food Pantry, for instance, is scheduled to receive a $1,500 donation this year, and $500 apiece is earmarked for the library, a local Boys Scouts troop, the Homme Foundation and the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District Nature Center, among other recipients. Additional funds will be donated to help support the Wittenberg Senior Center and the Wittenberg-Birnamwood Booster Club.

A large chunk of the funds will be given out as scholarships to seniors at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School. Six scholarships of $1,000 each are handed out annually, with one award designated for a student attending a technical college. The students get their money in $500 increments after providing proof of enrollment and verifying grade requirements.

Some of that scholarship money is raised at the Lions’ annual pancake breakfast, which is held at the high school on Palm Sunday and generally brings in around $2,500. The success of the event is credited to the local citizens and business owners who donate their time, resources or food to the fundraiser — including restaurant owner Lisa Wierzba, who helps shred potatoes for the potato pancakes. Bushmans’ donates the potatoes, Nueske’s the sausages and Gus Weller and Jesse Hanke donate the maple syrup.

Pam Laking, a retired Witt-Birn teacher who grew up in Indiana, said she is grateful to this day for the scholarships she received from her local Lions Club. “I got $500 a year for four years,” Laking said. “Which, back in 1970, that was a lot of money and really helped me get my degree in special education.”

To help pay it forward, Laking volunteers with husband Koch at Lions’ fundraisers, including the annual cheese curd stand at the Iola Car Show in July. The fundraiser brings in a whopping $12,000 to $14,000 for the Wittenberg Lions.

“This is where we make most of our fundraising goals for each year,” Koch said. He added that he is proud of the banner on the cheese curd stand which tells patrons that all proceeds are returned to the community.

The car show also presents an opportunity for the Lions to partner with the groups they support. For example, members of the Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School dance team helped the Lions in Iola, and the Lions in turn donated money toward dance uniforms. Members of the dance group, which has only been around for three years, said they appreciated the funding.

“The dance team has formed a wonderful partnership with the Wittenberg Lions Club,” coach Stacey Delforge said. “The union has been a great one, and we look forward to it growing.”

A newer fundraiser that is proving successful is a monthly meat raffle, hosted by Jason Resch of Resch Lanes. Held the last Saturday of the month, each raffle has been bringing in about $500 for the Lions, Hartleben said. He helps to work at the event with Lion Gary Thompson.

“Jason buys quality meat, and the Lions cover the cost and then he runs the raffle, does all the work and donates what they take in with ticket sales,” Hartleben said.

The raffle events and monthly dinner meetings contribute to the group’s camaraderie, which Koch said he enjoys. He’s been secretary of the group off and on for at least 15 of his 32 years as a member.

Koch added that the Wittenberg Lions Club, which was founded in 1950, is so well organized that it almost runs itself. He pointed out that the club is not just for men; a woman from Antigo is among the members, and more women are welcome to join.

Lions Club International was formed in 1917. After being issued a challenge in 1925 by advocate Helen Keller to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness,” the Lions took on the task of helping those with vision impairments. That work continues today nearby in Rosholt at the Wisconsin Lions Foundation Camp. What started as a camp for the visually impaired now serves groups of kids with a variety of disabilities.

The Wittenberg Lions Club donates care packages to the staff members who work there in the summer.