On April 16, 1956, the Magnolia Lions Club was organized and sponsored by the Tomball Lions Club and was later officially chartered as its own club June 18, 1956.

"Two men from the Magnolia area, Patrick Brown and Howard Davenport, were members of the Tomball Lions Club, and they were the ones who were instrumental in forming the Magnolia club," said Donald Free, a Magnolia Lions Club member since 1969 and a four-time president of the club. "After the Magnolia club was chartered in June of 1956, they transferred from Tomball to Magnolia."

When the club was chartered, it had 34 charter members and Morris Evans served as its first president, Free said.

The Lions club began as a men's only club and stayed that way until the early '90s, when the Lions Club International began accepting female members.

"Jo Carroll Free was our first female president and she served three terms from 1996-97, 1997-98 and 2000-01," he said.

For the past 57 years, the Magnolia Lions Club has been committed to carrying out its mission to serve the less fortunate members of the community through raising money from various fundraisers the club puts on throughout the year.

"Our oldest fundraiser is our turkey shoot, which was organized by our first president Morris Evans and was held in the summer of 1956," Free said. "Since 1956, the club has had 53 turkey shoots and last year's turkey shoot netted more than $4,800."

The Lions Club also puts on three other fundraisers throughout the year to help those in need, such as their Pancake Supper and White Cone Day, he said. The Lions Club puts an emphasis on helping those with vision issues. Money collected from fundraisers is used for sight conservation, he said.

"Helen Keller challenged the Lions to be knights of the blind," he said. "Half of the money is going to the Lions Light House for the Blind. The other half stays in our club to help buy eye glasses and exams for children who cannot afford glasses."

All profits from fundraisers go toward helping people in the community and none is used for administrative fees, Free said. The dues members pay are used for the club's administrative fees.

Magnolia Lions Club:

The club meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of every month at the Magnolia Community Building, 400 Melton St., Magnolia.

For more information on becoming a member, call Chris Hardee at 281-932-0023, or Ron Willkens at 936-931-2849.