From left Akron Lions Club members Ron Dittman, Josh Manns and Faith Kamp present Carol and George Graham with United We Stand Ministries of Akron with a check for the ministries’ food pantry. The Lions Club helps a variety of charities. Photos provided by Faith Kamp.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — The Akron Lions Club hands out “thousands of dollars each year” to area charities, said the club’s Secretary Faith Kamp.

The club and thus the charities it helps will benefit from the Akron Chamber of Commerce’s Autumn in Akron Charity, Car, Truck and Bike Show on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Registration for the car show runs from 10 a.m. to noon, with judging starting at 11 a.m. and awards not beginning before 3 p.m. All proceeds will go the Akron Lions Club.

Kamp noted charities and causes the club helps with include building ramps at homes for people who need them and giving glasses to students.

“We give out our ‘Kenny Bright Scholarships’ each year to two students, who excel academically and give of their time and efforts,” she added. “We raise funds to support the Wheels on Fire cancer fundraising group that supports patients in Fulton and Kosciusko counties and the Compassionate Health Center, who provides affordable health care to those in our community.”

Kamp said the club also joins “with the Akron Elementary Parent Support group in helping put on its annual mother-son and daddy-daughter dances to assist in raising funds for classroom necessities and field trip fundraising.”

The Akron Lions Club has fundraising fish fries from 4-6 p.m. or until sold out on the Saturday following the second Tuesday of each month from September through May, at the Akron Community Center. Fish is sold for $12 a pound.

Kamp said area nonprofits are welcome to come to each event “to provide our customers with baked goods and side dishes,” which helps “raise awareness for their groups.”

The club’s been in existence since 1947, with 33 “active members” right now, she said.

Anyone 18 and older may join the club, with meetings at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month between September through May, at the Akron Community Center.

“The only requirements we have are to join with a giving heart and a willingness to bread fish,” joked Kamp.

She encouraged others to join the club as it’s “a great club to be a part of in serving our community, socializing with those in our community and helping individuals internationally.”

Kamp said she’s been a member for four years, but starting assisting with fish fries as a teen.

“I have learned how essential clubs, like the Akron Lions Club, are to small communities as ours,” she said. “The club helps everyone, from the young children needing eye care in the elementary schools, to the elders in our community, who need ramps and affordable health care, in the continuation of making Akron a wonderful place to settle.”

“We encourage everyone to attend any of our meetings at the Akron Community Center and join us for a bite to eat to learn more about what our organization does for our community and globally,” she added.