Shallotte Lions plan car show April 23

Shallotte Lions Club is sponsoring its first-ever Cruizin’ to the Coast car show on April 23 at Planet Fun. The event begins at 9 a.m. and along with cars, there will be craft vendors, children’s fun activities, indoor and outside, food, door prizes and raffles. This fundraiser will help to defray the cost of eye exams and eyeglasses for the seeing impaired in the community.

The club has been together for more than 64 years, having been sponsored by the Whiteville Lions. Its motto has always been to improve the community as well as individual lives.

The first project was to build a football field on property donated by Dr. M. Henderson Roark. Then, the Lions built the Armory, which includes a basketball court. The current Senior Citizens Center was built to house the then Brunswick County Health Department, again on property donated by Dr. Roark.

Roark was not only a charter member of the Shallotte Lions, he represented 31-H as district governor and as international director from 1964-66. An annual golf tournament takes place in his memory.

The Shallotte Lions focus much of its interest on youth projects. They sponsor the Peace Poster contest in many local schools, assist the Dixie League team and various 4-H projects. The Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw has a cottage that all N.C. Lions help support. It is currently being remodeled to provide better housing for the children being away from their families.

 The Shallotte Lions recently sponsored the N.C. Lions Vision Van and screened students at two elementary schools. Of hundreds of students screened, at least 13 percent are in dire need of eyeglasses, which the club gladly provides.