[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 17 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING OF THE COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN LIONS CLUB

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                          HON. MARY JO KILROY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 4, 2010

  Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Columbus 
Downtown Lions Club for its dedication to the improvement of the 
Columbus area. The Columbus Downtown Lions Club, which was officially 
re-chartered by Lions Club International on December 9, 2009, is 
committed to building a safer, healthier, and stronger community 
through volunteerism and support for local initiatives.
  The Lions Club International was founded in 1917 and today is the 
world's largest service club organization. The club, originally known 
for fighting blindness, continues that legacy today by conducting 
vision screenings, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing 
medicine and raising awareness of eye disease. Lions Club International 
also supports community projects for children and schools through 
scholarships, recreation programs and mentoring.
  The Columbus Downtown Lions Club was originally chartered on June 17, 
1920, and served the local community for over eighty years until it was 
disbanded in 2007 due to insufficient membership. I am proud of the 
individuals who have restarted this organization and committed 
themselves to continuing its legacy of volunteerism and generosity. I 
am excited and thankful in anticipation of the valuable service that 
this club will provide to our community.
  In the long-standing tradition of Lions Club involvement in central 
Ohio, the Columbus Downtown Lions Club has already begun to build 
relationships that will foster future volunteer activities. This 
Saturday, during the Downtown club's official charter celebration, the 
Downtown club will make a contribution to Honor Flight, an organization 
that pays for and organizes trips for our World War II veterans so that 
they can see firsthand our Nation's capital and their monuments. The 
members of the Columbus Downtown Lions Club are building a valuable 
network of service-minded individuals who will serve as role models and 
leaders in our community for decades to come.
  With the re-chartering of the Columbus Downtown Lions Club, the Lions 
community has once again demonstrated its generosity, compassion, and 
commitment to making a difference in the city of Columbus. I am proud 
to recognize and honor this organization and all of its dedicated 
volunteers for their exemplary record of service and their future 
contributions to the betterment of central Ohio.

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