Lions Plan Meet & Greet May 10

Would you like to learn more about the Lions Club? The Holliston and Hopkinton Lions Clubs are planning a Wine Tasting and Meet & Greet – A Call for New Lions, on Thursday, May 10, from 7-9:30 p.m. at Anthony’s on the Green at the Pinecrest Golf Course, 212 Prentice Street, Holliston, with wine generously donated and poured by the Depot Package Store in Holliston. Prospective members are free with any Lion ($20 per Lion).
Holliston Lion Steve Apesos says the event is geared toward enticing younger people to become involved in the club.
“What clubs are facing together are to get younger people to join clubs and events,” he says. “For millennials, people in their 30s and early 40s, it’s a challenge.” Holliston is a bedroom community, he says, and it’s difficult, he says, for people to put a commitment and try to juggle and be a member of a club.”
Apesos says that the Holliston Lions are anything but the stereotype of a gray-haired old group.
“We are a can-do organization,” he says. “Our Lions Club has 75+ members. We’re one of the biggest in the district and in the state. We’ve won awards for the size of our club and members.”
Apesos points to the myriad events run by The Lions Club in town, including the Santa’s Breakfast, support for the town’s seniors, their annual carnival, donation of $12,000 in annual scholarships for high school seniors and more.
“Our club raises over $50,000 locally for all the things we do, and a good 60% of it goes to things in town – the police auxiliary, the food pantry. We do an awful lot, including putting up the holiday lights.”
The Holliston Lions Club meets the third Wednesday of each month, from August to June with a dinner meeting, says Apesos. Over time, the requirement for men to wear ties and jackets has relaxed to meet member needs. “It’s not as formal,” he says. What’s more, the group is relaxing the requirement that members make every dinner.
“(New members) don’t have to come to every Wednesday meeting,” says Apesos, “but more, we’re more interested in them just being active in different programs we do, if they want to volunteer and be part of something.”
Rather than read about the group, however, Apesos would like to see curious Hollistonians come on out to this meet and greet. “It’s really the first time we’ve gone out to the community to say, ‘here’s what we are and what we do,” he says.
One does need an invitation from a Holliston Lion to come to the Wine Tasting and Meet & Greet. “We want to make sure they have a proper escort,” says Apesos. “You can ask a local Lion about it and attend with them, go to our website, HollistonLions.org or contact me, I’m the membership chairman, at steveapesos@aol.com.