Highland Heights Lions Club Honored for 50th Anniversary

The city of presented the Highland Heights Lions Club with a resolution and the club gave the city a check for $5,000. While the check was not payment for the honor, they were all related to the celebration of the club's 50th anniversary.

Mayor Scott Coleman listed the many contributions the club has made to the city over the years, including funding for hearing and sight conservation, diabetes awareness, donations to the Hillcrest Food Bank, providing large print book collection for the and donating to the Veterans Peace Memorial.

"The Lions are so important to the city of ," Coleman said.

He added that the Lions were the driving force behind the Community Days Festival for many years.

Council President Scott Mills said he's been involved with the Lions for many years, working at the hole-in-one tournament and Sweetest Day rose sale.

"When my kids were small, they looked foward to driving around and helping me judge the (holiday) lighting contest," Mills said.

Councilwoman Kathy Murphy, a Lions Club member, recalled a saying that "your life is not complete until you take the opportunity to give to others in need and to your community."

"The Lions Club has lived that," she said.

The latest Lions Club contribution – the $5,000 check – will be used toward the cost of a $85,000 gazebo in the park being installed at the municipal complex on Highland Road.

"We felt that we needed to make a contribution," Lions Club Treasurer Mike Granito said.

Club Secretary Larry Nudelman said that members had a party for the 25th anniversary and thought the money could be better spent.

"Instead of having a party, we decided to spend a little more and spend it on this," he said.

Granito said the club talked about a gazebo for years and was pleased to be part of the project that is expected to be completed this year.

"It's going to be gorgeous when it's finished," he said. "It's going to be the centerpiece of the city."