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Mingo Lions looking to roar once again

MINGO JUNCTION — A local Lions Club is roaring back into community life.

The Association of Lions Clubs was founded in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones, who encouraged other fellow business club members to work for the betterment of their communities.

Within three years, the organization had become international, extending into Canada while already being active in 23 U.S. states and boasting 6,400 members. Lions Club International is now one of the world’s largest service organizations with 1.4 million members across 49,000 clubs.

In more than 200 countries and geographic areas, Lions serve their local communities in various ways. There’s a saying among Lions Clubs: “Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion.”

The LCI itself directs several special initiatives and provides organizational support for local clubs to address eight “global causes,” including childhood cancer, diabetes, disaster relief, environment, humanitarian, hunger, vision and youth.

Additionally, the organization has a branch for youth, the Leo Program, which currently contributes to the development of 200,000 young men and women through volunteering efforts.

Structurally, the Lions Club in Ohio is represented by Multiple District 13, inside which are seven constituent districts. OH3 District has 49 individual clubs, spread across Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont, Guernsey, Tuscarawas, Holmes, Wayne, Summit, Medina and Cuyahoga counties

Mingo Junction has had its own Lions Club since Jan. 25, 1956. Since its chartering, the club has been active and performed many service projects around the community.

However, when Mingo Junction’s club nearly faded away, one of its members stepped up to save it. Now, with a group of friends, she’s looking to revitalize the club and continue doing what lions clubs do best: Serve.

Karen Harris is daughter of two longtime Weirton pastors. She’s a former restaurant owner and founder of Feed the Need, a nonprofit dedicated to remedying individuals’ physical hunger and other deficiencies.

Harris joined the Mingo Junction Lions Club about seven years ago. After being invited by then-President Jeffrey Schuetz, she was drawn to the club’s emphasis on service.

Earlier this year, Harris recalled, the club was suffering from an aging membership and was in danger of folding. That was the group’s plan, but Harris — who was vice president at the time — was reportedly “bound and determined” to keep it alive.

“The town needs a club,” she remarked.

In the fall, she assumed the role of president and connected with an individual she thought could help.

Nina Cleaver has been involved in Lions Club for 17 years. She’s a member of the Dillonvale-Mount Pleasant club, another small club like Mingo’s, and she’s been involved in Scouts for 27 years. Cleaver said she’s well aware of what it’s like to struggle with membership and members’ lack of motivation to step up.

“Getting people to join things is extremely hard, across the board,” Cleaver said. “But Lions Club is so beneficial. The more people we have in the club, the more we can do for the community and the people outside the community.”

Currently the OH3 vice district governor, Cleaver previously served as “guiding lion” or mentor to the Mingo Lions Club, helping give it direction. Cleaver recalled how Harris reached out to her again, about four months ago. Harris “really, really wanted to keep (the club) going,” so Cleaver decided to be mentor again and help get the club back on its feet.

Harris swayed additional friends to join and fill some roles. Her husband, Carroll Harris, is a new member along with Secretary Carrie Fluker and Heather Danielson, who’s the tail twister, meaning she promotes fellowship and fun when members are convened. The club is still looking for a vice president, but Harris anticipates she’ll soon have another individual stepping up to be the treasurer.

Fluker knew Harris through church and Danielson knew Fluker through work. Fluker, Danielson and the Harrises are all from Weirton — ironic, given they’re part of the Mingo Junction Lions Club.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Fluker loves to serve others. She’s a veteran and works for the Salvation Army in Weirton.

Danielson moved to Weirton from Southern West Virginia. A certified home health aide, Danielson said, “I like being able to give back and help the community.”

Carroll Harris is also looking forward to keeping active and serving the area through the Lions Club.

Those new additions bring the total membership up to 11.

Club members have already started getting familiar with the community. They sent Christmas cards to the Mingo Junction Fire Department and baked cookies for the Mingo Junction Senior Center’s Christmas party. The latter activity was a token of gratitude for the center letting the club meet there on every third Thursday at 6 p.m.

According to the senior center’s Secretary Diane Pernick, the center is historically where the Mingo Lions Club used to meet.

The club has a list of hopes going into 2025 — hopes to serve Mingo Junction and abroad.

They hope to meet with the village’s mayor to understand the needs of the community and how they can be of service, physically or financially.

Club members plan to collect coins they accumulate throughout the year and donate them to one of the LCI’s eight global causes. The club will also set out collection boxes for used crayons. Those will be given to a company that takes used crayons, melts them down and manufactures new ones — label and all — before donating them to children’s hospitals.

The club also aspires to collect aluminum pop tabs for the nonprofit Ronald McDonald House, which recycles the tabs and uses money to pay for utility bills at its care facilities for sick children. Cleaver noted OH3’s collection goal is 1,000 pounds of tabs.

Also, the club hopes to collect first aid materials and manufacture homemade first aid kits for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Harris said some youth have already expressed interest in joining a Mingo Junction Leo Program, but propping up the Lions Club is the first priority.

Like the newest members, those interested in joining don’t have to be from Mingo Junction. To join, Cleaver said, all someone must do is come and fill out an application. The only other membership prerequisites are paying dues — $73 a year that goes to LCI — and having “a passion for service.”

“We’re looking to build the club so we can do more good for the community,” Cleaver said. “The more people we have, the more service we can do, the more impact we have.”

They say, “Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion.” If that’s true, then the Mingo Junction Lions Club seems to have found a need in Mingo, and they’re ensuring Lions are there to meet that need.

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