Members of the Parkesburg Lions Club have remained active during the pandemic by continuing their community service projects, including awarding scholarships, holding food drives and collecting eyeglasses.

In May, the club awarded two Octorara Junior-Senior High School seniors with scholarships. Ava Zimmerman was the recipient of the Leadership Initiative Scholarship, and Jessica Moore was the winner of the Thaddeus "Bud" Wilde Memorial Community Service Scholarship, which was issued for the first time under its new name.

"We always had a community service scholarship, but renamed it in honor of Bud," said Lions Club vice president Robin McKenna. Wilde was a fourth-generation funeral director at Wilde Funeral Home and was active at the Keystone Valley Fire Department, where he once served as fire chief.

In June, the club conducted a food drive at Dutch-Way Farm Market to benefit the Octorara Area Food Cupboard. The club holds food drives three or four times per year.

The club has placed collection boxes in the community where residents can place used or unwanted eyeglasses. Collection containers are located at the Parkesburg Library, 105 West St.; at local eye doctors' offices; and at Parkesburg Walmart, 100 Commons Drive. "We continually gather glasses from the area and take them to the New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, where they are refurbished and given to those in need," McKenna noted.

A new initiative by the club is to collect plastics through a recycling program offered by the Trex Company. Currently, there are receptacles at Fulton Bank, 100 W. First Ave., Parkesburg, and at the Parkesburg Library. "Once 500 pounds of plastics are collected, we will earn a free Trex bench (to be placed in the community)," said McKenna. A detailed list of what can be put in the receptacles is available on the club's Facebook page in a post dated May 30.

Parkesburg Lions have a table at Final Friday each month, which includes a children's game and an item to win. Community members may also learn about club activities. "We are trying to be more present in the community," said McKenna. "It's been fun. We have enjoyed meeting people."

Each year, the Parkesburg Lions Club sponsors the Parkesburg Halloween parade. After a year's absence because of the pandemic, the parade will return on Saturday, Oct. 30. The parade will step off at 4:30 p.m. along First Street in the borough.

Following the parade, Trunk or Treat will be held in Minch Park, 111 West St., Parkesburg, from 6 to 8 p.m. People are invited to park their decorated vehicles in the park and open the trunk to hand out treats to area children. The Lions Club will also have a vehicle. The day will conclude with fireworks.

The motto of Lions Clubs is "We serve," and new members are invited to help the club with its projects. Meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at the Parkesburg Baptist Church, 103 West St. For more information, contact the club through its Facebook page, stop by a meeting or email robinmckenna@comcast.net.