Lions prove more than king of the pride

Symbolizing strength, courage and wisdom, lions are interpreted as a silent, yet powerful, part of the animal kingdom. Lions also exist outside of the animal world and represent the same characteristics, yet they aren’t what you’d imagine.

The Lions Club is known throughout the world, but the group that impacts the community, especially Houston High, the most is the Big Lake Lions.

Since 1978, the Lions have helped to improve the community one project at a time. And one of the group’s most recent projects is the community ice rink constructed in Big Lake.

Bill Haller, a Big Lake resident and Lions member, has helped make that project possible with the determination from the Lions.

Haller said the ice rink idea had been circulating with the group for eight to 10 years and hadn’t gotten any traction when the Lions came to him for assistance. After perfecting the plan, the Lions succeeded in providing yet another great, inexpensive venue for the community.

The ice rink has given Houston’s hockey team a place for extra practices and it provides an activity venue for other community members as well. According to Haller, the Lions hoped that opening the ice rink would get children interested in athletics and provide the rest of the community a place to bond.

Aside from the ice rink, Lions can be given credit for many other recreational areas for the public, such as the Big Lake Airport, the new library and many of the parks around town.

Every year, the Lions Club helps the Valley protect its sight by conducting vision screenings and providing eyeglasses for community members in need. Their Sight First program is one of the Lions’ most well-known programs, and the community often comes together year-round to help.

In order to continue serving, the Lions circulate profit from project to project. Haller said that 98 percent of the Lions’ revenue goes back to fund more projects. The Lions aren’t the only ones who can suggest new projects. In fact, many ideas often come from the public. The Big Lake Lions meet three times a month, which is when new projects can be presented.

The Lions’ main priority is the community, yet what they’ve done to help Houston High succeed hasn’t been forgotten. From being sponsors to offering scholarships to seniors, the Lions have been an asset to the school for years and hopefully will be for years to come.

Norman Bouchard, a coach, teacher and activities director at Houston, has spent plenty of time communicating with Lions in order to help better Houston High.

“The biggest thing is that they’ve been huge supporters financially and with their time for a number of years now,” he said.

The Lions have been extremely involved with Houston’s athletic department and generously take charge of the gates during basketball games, as well as providing sponsorships for the baseball program.

Bouchard spoke highly of Bill Haller, who is also the main contact person between Houston High and the Lions.

“His kids went to school here,” Bouchard said.

Haller became involved with the school as one of his kids got more involved with extracurricular activities.

“He started seeing that there was a need here, and since [his daughter] is gone and he’s looking for stuff to do, they’ve focused that attention on us, and it’s been fantastic,” Bouchard said.

David Porter, a coach at Houston, has been working hard with Bouchard and the Lions over the last few years and has kept his teams involved with the Big Lake Clean-Up, which will be on May 21 this year.

“We’d like to get more people involved in that,” Bouchard said.

He hopes to get the whole school involved as a way for the school to give back to the Lions as well as the community.

The Lions have expanded their view from the present to projects that will leave a lasting impact on the community’s future as well. According to Bouchard, the Lions’ work also benefits the community by helping to keep kids off the streets. Lions help give kids a place to go and something to do.

Bouchard speaks about the Lions as if he’s talking about royalty, and in some eyes they can be seen that way. The time and effort of the club’s members surely isn’t wasted.

“It’s immeasurable,” Bouchard said.

According to the Lions Club website, the Big Lake Lions are just a small branch from the organization’s heart, which has 45,000 clubs and 1.35 million unpaid members worldwide. Not only that, it has absolutely no affiliation with any churches or government organizations.

The website also explains a special program that benefits the world’s youth called the Leo Program. It provides youth with an “opportunity for personal development through volunteering.” There are about 144,000 Leos and 5,700 Leo Clubs in more than 140 countries worldwide. A few students from Houston High have taken part in this program, giving them a passion as well as a head start for volunteering.

Aside from helping make our community a better place, the Lions host Mud Volleyball every year, which is a traditional source of entertainment for Big Lake. This year, it will be on June 18 and they hope to have a team or two from Houston featured in the event.

Through the past 33 years of love and dedication for their community, the Lions have impacted the community in more than one way. Although gratitude is rarely spoken, it’s time for the community to say “thank you.”

For more information about the Lions and what they do to help, visit online at biglakereccenter.com.

Kylie Boepple is a senior at Houston High School.