80 years in, Huntington Beach Lions Club goes beyond ‘writing checks’

The Huntington Beach Lions Club plans to mark its 80th anniversary year with a community party in August at Edison Park.

The event will feature food, games and invitations to organizations it has collaborated with on service projects.

Lions see it as an opportunity for residents to learn more about the 67-member philanthropic group and its mission, said club President Sean Arens.

“We try to be involved in the community to help out and actually be the people doing work,” said Arens, who joined four years ago. “We’re not just writing checks to different organizations.”

The Surf City chapter is one of 46,000 worldwide. The service club, which has 1.4 million global members, strives to “do whatever is needed to help their local communities,” according to its website.

Mayor Mike Posey recognized the service club for its contributions at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Members are often seen around town hosting annual fundraisers, such as the Junior Lifeguards’ pancake breakfasts, which serve up to 1,700 people and raise money for the guards and their scholarship programs. The breakfasts began about 20 years ago.

“The group has been fantastic with us,” Junior Lifeguard program coordinator Michael Eich said. “When they get going, it’s an unbelieveable group.”

Lions are also active in Crab Fest, which notched 20 years in March, and the regular eye-screening clinics at Ocean View High School.

Mark Piva, who is in a leadership position with the club, joined nearly 10 years ago, enjoying the camaraderie and community service projects.

“Other clubs help clean graffiti or clean up somebody’s yard,” Piva said. “We specialize in pancake breakfasts.”

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