Lakeville Lions Club

Dec 2023 - Members of the Lakeville and Lapaz Lions Club sorted items collected for the Christmas Food Basket Project. More than 60 families will receive boxes of groceries and household supplies.

Dec 2023 - Lakeville Lions Club members and friends provided free Pictures With Santa at the Lakeville Branch Library.

Dec 2022 - Members of the Lakeville and Lapaz Lions Clubs helped Santa and Mrs. Claus distribute toys and boxes of groceries to needy families in the LaVille Schools community.

Nov 2022 - LaVille Elementary School Student Council members, faculty, staff, and Lakeville Lions Club members worked together to load non-perishable food collected during the school's annual food drive. The club will supplement this and distribute food boxes to needy families in December.

Aug 2022 - Lions Darlene Shock (left) and Jim Tibbs (right) worked several shifts for the Indiana Lions Foundation at the 2022 Indiana State Fair. Other Lakeville Lions Club members and family members who worked at the State Fair were Lissa Newton, Larry Ort, Carolyn Ort, Paul Russell, and Rose Russell. Our club worked more than 100 shifts at the Indiana State Fair.

May 2022 - At the Lakeville Lions Club dinner meeting on May 24th, Lion Don Milzarek was presented with a plaque recognizing him as a nominee for the Indiana Lions Foundation's Distinguished Lion Award. A nominee must have been a Lion for at least 25 years and have an impressive record of service to their Lions Club and their community. Lion Don was one of only 16 Lions from throughout the state of Indiana who were nominated for this award in 2022. Lion Don (center) is pictured here with Lakeville Lions Club President Lion Larry Ort (left) and Indiana Lions Foundation Trustee Lion Rose Russell (right).

May 2022 - At the District Meeting in Culver on May 14th, Lakeville Lions Club President Lion Larry Ort received a Global Action Team Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding effort in the areas of Leadership, Membership, and Service. This award is presented on behalf of the Lions Clubs International President by the regional Global Action Team. Recipients are selected from nominations submitted by the state Leadership, Membership, and Service chairs, and a limited number of these awards are presented each year. The certificate was presented by Indiana Lions State Membership Chair PDG Charlie Short of the Lafayette Lions Club.

Mar 2022 - Lakeville Lions Club President Lion Larry Ort (right) received an International President's Certificate of Appreciation at the District Convention in Argos. The certificate was presented by International Director Michael Banks (center) of Stillwater, Oklahoma and District Governor Marlyn Fast (right) of the Dunlap Lions Club. Lion Larry has served the club as a project chairman and club officer for many years. He is currently serving his second term as Club President. He has also served the community as a member of the school board, a member of the 4-H Fair board, and an Air Force fighter pilot. Congratulations, Lion Larry Ort! This recognition was well-deserved.

Jun 2021 - Dayne Dickson, son of Bill and Tammy Dickson, was a recipient of a Lakeville Lions Club Scholarship. As a student at LaVille High School, Dane was a Summit Award Recipient (Top 10 student), four-year member of the Soccer team, National Honor Society, Art Club, and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). Dayne is attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN to study business management and marketing.

Jun 2021 - Noah Kuskye, son of Jeremy and Stephanie Kuskye, was a recipient of a Lakeville Lions Club Scholarship. As a student at LaVille High School, Noah was a Summit Award Recipient (Top 10 student), a member of Fellowship of Christian Students, National Honor Society, Broadcasting Club, and the Golf team. Noah is also a 10-year St. Joseph County 4-H member. Noah is attending Bethel University in Mishawaka, IN where he is majoring in computer and information sciences with a minor in graphic design.

Sep 2020 - Long-time Lakeville Lions Club member Lion Bob Feitz (2nd from right) was one of only seven Lions from throughout the state of Indiana who was nominated for the Distinguished Lion Award presented by the Indiana Lions Foundation. The award is usually presented at the Indiana Lions State Convention in the spring, however, in 2020 the presentation was postponed until September due to COVID restrictions.

Jun 2020 - Kayla Dent was a recipent of a Lakeville Lions Club scholarship. She plans to major in bio-chemistry at Manchester University and is considering a career as a veterinarian. As a student at LaVille High School, she participated in Future Farmers of America, Art Club, and Euchre Club, and she is very active in her church. She is the daughter of Eric & Diane Dent of North Liberty.

Jun 2020 - Kalista Lemberis was a recipient of a Lakeville Lions Club scholarship. She plans to study Kinesiology at Purdue University. As a student at LaVille High School, she participated in volleyball and track. She was also involved in the Art Club and National Honor Society, and was the Vice President of the Future Farmers of America chapter. She is the daughter of Andrew Lemberis and Stephanie Lemberis of Lakeville.

Feb 2020 - District Governor Mary Klempay's first Health Fair was well attended by Lions from across our district. Eighteen Lions from four clubs came to work. Carolyn Ort along with Lions Rose Russell and Janet Weber manned the Operation SchoolSight table. Lions Larry Ort, Howard Heines, and Anne Weber manned the Operation KidSight table. Lion Jennifer Gardner helped direct indoor traffic while Lion Diane Fischer and District Governor Mary filled in where needed. In conjunction with the Health Fair, the South Bend Medical Foundation blood drive collected 10 units of blood.

Dec 2019 - Thanks to the generosity of many individuals and organizations in the Lakeville and Lapaz communities, the Lakeville Lions Club and Lapaz Lions Club provided toys and gifts to more than 100 children, and groceries and household supplies to more than 40 families.

Oct 2019 - Our vision screening team works with members of other Lions Club to provide free vision screenings to children in schools and daycare centers throughout St. Joseph County. In this photo, PDG Paul Russell (Lakeville LC), PDG Lana Wilson (South Bend LC), and Lion Howard Heines (Lakeville LC) provide vision screenings for students in the HeadStart program at Elsie Rogers Elementary School in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation.

Aug 2019 - Several members of the Lakeville Lions Club worked for the Indiana Lions Foundation at the 2019 Indiana State Fair. Lions Darcy and Jennifer Gardner worked as ticket sellers at "The Tunnel", one of four gates staffed by Indiana Lions.

May 2019 - Congratulations to LaVille High School seniors Kelsey Aschenbrenner (left) and Amber Wells (right), recipients of $1,000 scholarships from the Lakeville Lions Club. Kelsey plans to study Speech Language Pathology at Ball State University. Amber plans to study Nursing at Indiana University South Bend.

May 2019 - Our Little Free Library is open for business in the picnic shelter in Culp Park. Take a book; share a book.

Apr 2019 - The Lakeville Lions Club partnered with the South Bend Lions Club to distribute dictionaries to approximately 75 third-graders at St. Joseph Grade School and Our Lady of Hungary Grade School in South Bend. Pictured here at St. Joseph Grade School are (l. to r.) 3rd grade teacher Ms. Debbie Mrozinski, Lion Howard Heines (Lakeville LC), 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Merryl Sherwood, and Lion Judy Boehm (South Bend LC).

Mar 2019 - The Lakeville Lions Club is proud to be the home club of our next District Governor. District Governor Elect Mary Klempay is pictured here with District Governor Jim Reeve of the Lake City Lions Club.

Mar 2019 - Lion Howard Heines received an International President's Certificate of Appreciation at the 2019 District Convention in Argos. Lion Howard is pictured here with International Director Don Noland of Missouri and District Governor Jim Reeve.

Mar 2019 - The Lakeville Lions Club is the sponsoring organization for Troop 247G, the first all-girls Scouts BSA Troop in the Algonquin District, LaSalle Council. The girls and their adult leaders are pictured here at a recent troop meeting in Scout Hall. The club also sponsors a Cub Scout Pack and an all-boys Scout Troop.

Dec 2018 - Lakeville Police Chief Patrick Howard and several of his officers joined Santa and his helpers on Toys for Tots and Christmas Food Basket Distribution Day. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we provided boxes of groceries to nearly 40 families and toys for more than 100 children. Leftover food was shared with local food pantries and leftover toys were shared with several community organizations.

Nov 2018 - Students at LaVille Elementary School collected more than 3500 non-perishable food items to support our Christmas Food Basket project. 5th and 6th grade Student Council members, pictured here, sorted the food and helped load the food into trucks and vans to be transported to the Palmer Community Complex.

Oct 2018 - Boy Scout Troop 247, sponsored by the Lakeville Lions Club, built a miniature catapult using poles and lashings, and demonstrated it at the Lakeville Fall Festival.

Aug 2018 - The Lakeville Lions Club provided and served biscuits and gravy for the LaVille High School Lancer Booster Club Golf Outing on Saturday, August 4th. Lions Bob Feitz, Sharon Feitz, and Max Feitz represented the club at this event.

Aug 2018 - Several members of the Lakeville Lions Club worked for the Indiana Lions Foundation at the 2018 Indiana State Fair. Lion Mike Johnson and Lion Jim Foster are pictured here with Past Council Chair David Eisen of the Mishawaka Lions Club. The intrepid trio worked at Gate 12 on Opening Day.

Mar 2018 - Members of the Lakeville Lions Club spent a very cold Holy Saturday supervising the Easter Egg hunt sponsored by Newton Park. We all appreciated the free hot chocolate! Pictured here: Lion Max Feitz, Lion Rose Russell, Lion Jim Tillman, PDG Paul Russell, Lion Jennifer Gardner, and Lion Darcy Gardner. Photo by Lion Anne Weber.

Dec 2017 - Santa and a few of his helpers are ready for Toys for Tots & Food Basket Distribution Day. Approximately 30 Lions, family members, and community members distributed boxes of groceries to approximately 40 families and toys to approximately 80 children. At the end of the day, leftover food was donated to local food pantries and leftover toys were donated to a group that works with foster families.

Oct 2017 - 19 Lions representing 6 Lions Clubs in District 25-G provided eye exams and eyeglasses to more than 3200 adults and children during a Lions Eyeglass Mission in Huanimaro, Guanajuato, Mexico. PDG Paul Russell is pictured with a girl who received a pair of glasses. PDG Paul described her reaction: "I gave this girl a pair of glasses and watched her face light up with joy as she looked around the room and saw the world clearly for what was probably the first time in her life. It is moments like this that keep us going on these missions."

Aug 2017 - The Lakeville Lions Club was the #1 club in the state of Indiana in terms of the number of shifts worked for the Indiana Lions Foundation at the 2017 Indiana State Fair. Pictured here are a few of the 19 Lions and family members who worked 80 shifts on the gates and tractor shuttles at the fair.

Apr 2017 - At the 2017 Indiana Lions State Convention in Evansville, Council Chair Vic Fischer of the Lakeville Lions Club was the recipient of an International Leadership Medal, the third highest award our association presents to its members. CC Vic (center) is pictured here with International President Robert Corlew (left) and Past International President Wayne Madden (right). Congratulations, Lion Vic!

Jan 2017 - Lakeville Lions Club President Lion Bob Court presented a $2000 check to Lakeville Police Chief Patrick Howard to help pay for bullet-proof vests for the town's police officers.

Dec 2016 - Our Toys for Tots & Christmas Food Basket projects provided food for 44 families and toys for 118 children in Lakeville and Lapaz. Pictured here are Lion Santa and some of his helpers from the Lakeville Lions Club, Lapaz Lions Club, LaVille Schools, Lakeville Police Department, and Marine Corps Reserve.

Dec 2016 - Pictures with Santa at the Lakeville Library has become a Lakeville tradition. This year, Santa's youngest visitor was just 2 weeks old, and his oldest was 84 years young, proving that you're never told young or too old to have your picture taken with Santa. Our Operation KidSight vision team also provided free vision screenings. Pictured here are: Lion Marsha Omans, Do Foster, Lion Dee Milzarek, Lion Terry Rensberger, Lion Santa, Lion Howard Heines, and Lion Don Milzarek. Lion Rose Russell also participated but is not pictured here.

Oct 2016 - Area Lions Clubs participated in the Lakeville Fall Festival Parade. Lion Jennifer Gardner and Lion Bob Court carried the Lakeville Lions Club banner. Lion John Krzyzanowski of the Clay-Granger Lions Club drove his Indiana Racing Lions race car. Lion Daniel Robledo and Lion Susan Robledo carried a second banner. Lion Keith Shearer of the Greene Township Lions Club drove the Greene Township Lions Club train, which carried Lions, family members, and friends along the parade route.

Sep 2016 - Lion Dee Milzarek and PDG Paul Russell were members of a Lions eyeglass mission team that served 3,863 men, women, and children in San Felipe, GTO, Mexico. The mission team was comprised of 22 Lions from 8 Lions Clubs in District 25-G. This photo was taken shortly before 5:30 a.m. on the last day of the mission as the team members waited for the bus that would take them on the first leg of their journey home.

Apr 2016 - At the 2016 Indiana Lions State Convention, Lion Rose Russell was the recipient of a Presidential Medal, the second highest award our association presents to its members. She is pictured here with International President Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada, Past International President Wayne Madden, and District Governor Vic Fischer. Lion Howard Heines was 1 of only 25 Lions from throughout the state of Indiana who was nominated for the Distinguished Lion Award.

Mar 2016 - Congresswoman Jackie Walorski has been a member of the Lakeville Lions Club for more than 10 years. She stopped by our annual Good Friday Fish Fry to enjoy some fish, and to greet friends and constituents. She is pictured here with Lion Jim Foster and Lion Jim Tillman.

Dec 2015 - Students in Miss Sara Gurtner's 2nd grade class at LaVille Elementary School were treated to a pizza party by the Lakeville Lions Club after they collected 2,900 food items during the school's annual food drive. The students are pictured here with (l. to r.) Miss Gurtner, Lion Rose Russell, Assistant Principal Will Grove, Principal Ken Shirley, and PDG Dave Court.

Sep 2015 - 23 Lions and family members representing 9 Lions Clubs travelled to Irapuato, GTO, Mexico for a Lions Eyeglass Mission. PDG Paul Russell is pictured here with one of the 3700 men, women, and children who received eye exams and eyeglasses from the mission team.

Jun 2015 - Lion Vic Fischer of the Lakeville Lions Club was installed as District Governor of District 25-G at the close of the 98th Lions International Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 26-30, 2015. He is pictured here with the other members of the MD-25 (Indiana) Council of Governors for the 2015-2016 Lions year.

Mar 2015 - The Lakeville Lions Club hosted the district's first training session for school-age visual acuity testing at the Newton Center in Lakeville on Saturday, March 28th. 36 Lions and spouses from 10 district clubs attended the training session. PDG Charles Short from the Lafayette Lions Club in District 25-C provided an interesting and informative introduction to what he called "Operation SchoolSight".

Dec 2014 - Students in Mrs. Dent's 4th grade class at LaVille Elementary School enjoyed a pizza party sponsored by the Lakeville Lions Club as a reward for collecting the most food during the school's recent food drive for the Lions Club's Christmas Food Basket project. Project co-chairman PDG Dave Court joined Mrs. Dent and her students for this picture

Dec 2014 - Santa lent a hand with the open vision screening that we held in conjunction with our Pictures With Santa event at the Lakeville Library. Here, Lion Santa waits for Do Foster, wife of Lion Jim Foster, to finishing entering data into the PlusOptix S09 unit. We also held an open vision screening in conjunction with a Pictures With Santa event at the Centre Township Library.

Aug 2014 - Lion Max Feitz worked as a ticket seller at the 2014 Indiana State Fair to help raise funds for the Indiana Lions Foundation. Other club members who worked for the Foundation at the Fair were: Bob Feitz, Sharon Feitz, Vic Fischer, Jim Foster, Paul Russell, Rose Russell, Jim Tillman, and Anne Weber. The Indiana Lions Foundation uses the money raised by this project to provide grants to Lions Clubs hroughout the state of Indiana to support their local service projects.

Jul 2014 - Our newest member, Lion Katherine Krzesinski, was inducted into the Lakeville Lions Club during a breakfast shift at our food booth at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair. Pictured here are: Immediate Past President Max Feitz, Lion Robin Vater, Lion Dianne Fischer, Lion Dema Vater, Lion Katherine Krzesinski, President Vic Fischer, Lion Jim Tillman, PDG Dave Court, and Lion Howard Heines.

Jun 2014 - Nick Rynearson, a 2014 graduate of LaVille High School and the son of Lion Jeff and Shirley Rynearson of Lakeville, is the recipient of this year's Lakeville Lions Club scholarship. Nick plans to attend Purdue University to study engineering. Congratulations, Nick!

Mar 2014 - At the 2014 District Convention, District Dictionary Project Chairman Lion Howard Heines presented a Student Dictionary to keynote speaker International Director H. Hauser Weiler. Lion Howard received an International President's Certificate of Appreciation for his work on this project.

Mar 2014 - At the 2014 District Convention, the Lakeville Lions Club was one of ten clubs that received a Club Excellence Award for the 2012-2013 Lions year. Immediate Past President Lion Sharon Feitz is pictured here with representatives from several of the clubs that were recognized.

Dec 2013 - Mrs. Downs' 4th grade class at LaVille Elementary School enjoyed a pizza party sponsored by the Lakeville Lions Club as a reward for collecting the most food during the school's recent food drive for the Lions Club's Christmas Food Basket project. Lion Max Feitz, PDG Dave Court, and Lion Howard Heines joined Mrs. Downs and her students for this photo.

Nov 2013 - Lion Terry Rensberger's photo of baby hummingbirds in the nest was the winner of the Lakeville Lions Club Environmental Photo Contest. Attendees at the November 2013 dinner meeting selected the winner from a dozen entries.

Apr 2013 - Congratulations to Lion Howard Heines and Lion Rose Russell, who were honored by International President Wayne Madden at the 2013 Indiana Lions State Convention. Lion Howard received a Presidential Medal, the 2nd highest honor our association gives to its members. Lion Rose received a Leadership Medal, the 3rd highest honor our association gives to its members.

Jan 2013 - The Lakeville Lions Club was one of three Lions Clubs in Indiana which were recognized for their contributions to Lions Club International Foundation over the past decade. 1st Vice President Lion Max Feitz accepted a Certificate of Appreciation from Lions Club International President Wayne Madden.

Sep 2012 - Thanks to the generosity of Lions Bob and Sharon Feitz, the Lakeville Lions Club planted more than 22,700 trees during the 2011-2012 Lions Year, putting our club in the Top 100 Clubs in Lions Constitutional Area 1 (USA, its affiliates, Bermuda, & the Bahamas).