As it has for the past 88 years, the Parkesburg Lions Club continues to aid the community through its many service projects. It awards scholarships, holds food drives and collects eyeglasses, among other activities.

At the Lions Club end-of-year picnic at Parkesburg Baptist Church, club members presented two Octorara graduates with a scholarship. Each student received $1,000. Kieran Lomboy was chosen as the recipient of the Leadership Initiative Scholarship, and Parker Wiley was chosen to receive the Thaddeus "Bud" Wilde Community Service Scholarship. The latter scholarship is named in memory of Wilde, a fourth-generation funeral director at Wilde Funeral Home who was active at the Keystone Valley Fire Department, where he once served as fire chief.

In May, Lions members participated in the Parkesburg Sesquicentennial celebration by hiding rocks that were painted with lions. "Lions rocks were hidden around town (and) they could be redeemed at our table for a chocolate bar," explained Lion Robin McKenna, who is also the scholarship committee chairperson. The club also had a float in the parade, which included club members and students from the newly formed Leo Club at Octorara Junior-Senior High School.

Ongoing Lions Club projects include the collection of used or unwanted eyeglasses, which are later refurbished into new eyewear for people in need. Collection containers are located at the Parkesburg Library, 105 West St. and at local eye doctors' offices.

The Lions also collect plastics at the library and at Fulton Bank, 100 W. First Ave., Parkesburg, and Pine Creek Animal Hospital, 150 Pine Creek Drive, Gap. "The plastics have enabled us to participate in a program through TREX, where free benches for our town are being earned," said McKenna.

One of the benches, located near the bus stop of the library, was dedicated to Lion Jim Norton. "He was a longtime Lion and a member of the Parkesburg Library Board," said McKenna. The ceremony was attended by Norton's family, Lions Club members and Parkesburg Mayor John Hagen, who offered remarks.

A second bench was placed on the playground of the Octorara Elementary School (OES) to serve as a "buddy bench." "This concept was inspired by Shauna McAllister's third-grade class," said McKenna. "The bench will be there for any student to sit on indicating they could use a buddy without having to say a word." The bench was dedicated during a third-grade assembly at OES on the last day of school.

The club also collects food at Dutch-Way Farm Market several times per year to benefit the Octorara Area Food Cupboard, sponsors the Halloween parade, conducts the borough's Holiday Decorating Contest, organizes the Adopt a Soldier Project during the holidays and donates to a variety of local organizations and individuals each year.

Lions Club meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month beginning on Sept. 8 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.