1702 Plainfield Road • Darien, Illinois 60561
www.darienlions.org

December 2011
Christmas Food Baskets
Over 200 families of Darien, Downers Grove, Westmont, and Willowbrook received donations in the form of foods and produce from the DLC annual Christmas Food Baskets and from the Darien Park District's toy donations.  Many supporters received the gift of joy in giving.  Large scale humanitarian efforts are not possible without the time, effort, and funding of many, many caring people.  So many gave donations of food and funding, others collected, packaged and distributed throughout the community.  The efforts to reach out to families who were less fortunate this year and help brighten their holiday season... it is the human spirit hard at work.   

The Darien Lions Club wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Special Thanks To The Following:

• Chris Katsougris of the community center on Fairview, and her dedicated staff.  This event is carried out in cooperation with the Darien Park District who, in addition to collecting and wrapping donated toys, also works to identify families in need and help set up, take down, and maintain the donation staging area.

• Henry and Lion Dan Kaminski for their donation of cash for foods such as hams and turkeys as well as giving of many hours of time, labor, and equipment use.

• The Eisenhower wrestling team members and staff for helping unload food donations.

• Home Depot for their efforts and use of shopping carts and equipment.

• The Tishler Family of Tishler Foods, for their efforts in procurement and delivery of food.

• Westmont Lions Club and our own Darien Lions for use of their personal vehicles and in helping to make over 200 personal deliveries.

November 2011

*Notice of the passing of Lion Gene Kolling - A founding member of the Darien Lions Club and our first President. *

Sadly, we have since lost Lion Gene Kolling who had passed away in his home on Sunday, Nov. 27th, 2011.  He was 87.  Words cannot justify the sense of loss to our club, indeed, the organization, as well as our community, of his passing.  He was a Darien Lions Club founding member, and our club's first President in 1971.

Click here to leave this site and view the Darien Patch.com news article on Gene Kolling. 

October 2011
Halloween Party
This year's annual Halloween Party was visited by an estimated +1100 local residents in a city wide effort to provide a safe and enjoyable place for local youth to spend Halloween evening off the dimly lit streets.  Games, fun times, and free ice skating was provided in cooperation from the Darien Park District and Sports Plex.  So many interesting, scary, and cute costumes were found to be roaming all over the facility too.  Boo!

Candy Day
Starting on Friday Oct. 7th, under the leadership of this year's Candy Day chairman - Doug Barnes, we mobilized to various intersections throughout Darien to kick off the start another successful Candy Day fund raiser.  Early figures show that the community and local businesses again put their hearts into this year's donations.  Due to the combined efforts of so many, we will be able to send a large group of children for Low Vision screenings and to Camp Lions.  Thank you Darien area supporters!

September 2011

Darien Fest 2011
The Darien Chamber of Commerce hosted 'Darien Fest' a wonderful event filled with fun, festivity, good food, carnival atmosphere, and live music throughout the weekend.  The 'Fest' opened on Friday the 8th as the Eisenhower School Band led the way with their rhythmic beat and parade style showmanship.  A welcoming address from the Mayor, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and our United States Veterans opened the way for a brilliant time of gathering, fun, and relaxation.  The Darien Lions provide support to help staff both the Beer and Corn tents.

Steak Fry Dinner Marks Back To Work
On Thursday the 7th, members of the Darien Lions Club met for their first business meeting of the fiscal year.  The night is one of relaxation and a time to catch up with one another as we enjoy our annual steak dinner.  This night marks the start of the planning for some serious business ahead as there is much to do as we endeavor to aid those with hearing and sight impairments.  It's also a time to welcome new prospective members to the club in which we welcomed four new members this year: Bob Carlson, Mat Dixon, Troy Fleming, and Ed Laconte. 

Many heartfelt thanks to those Lions who gave of their time, made donations of food, and put forth the efforts to purchase food, setup, and cook a delicious meal for the entire club.

 
Lion Kerry Spitznagle (foreground) and Lion Kooch shown doing a great job manning the grills!

July 2011
Independence Day Parade / Darien Lions Celebrate 40th Anniversary
Nice weather, large attendance, and a variety of many floats and participants were contributing factors for yet another successful Independence Day Parade.  The parade was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Darien Lions Club.  As part of the larger Lions International organization, the club is dedicated to aiding those who are sight or hearing impaired and also provides community service to our residents and neighbors through select fund raising efforts and outreach give-back programs.

March 2011
George Lazansky Recipient - Lion Jim Kiser
Congratulations of the highest order go to Lion Jim Kiser, recipient of the 2011 George Lazansky Distinguished Award in District 1-J. This award is given to Lions who have not only excelled in their contribution to their Club and community, but have served and demonstrated Lionism at the District and State levels.  

Lion Jim's achievements are quite numerous, and he has been an inspiration to the members of the club.  We congratulate Lion Jim and thank him for his contributions to the Darien Lions Club, District 1-J, and the Lions of Illinois.