About Us

In 1937 the Lions Club of Kitchener was organized.  The Charter Night celebration was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Walper Hotel.  Receiving the Charter document from then District Governor L.W. Peterson of Windsor was our Charter President, the late Irvin Erb.  This started many years of dedicated service to this community.

One of the first projects of our Club was to underwrite the cost of an eye operation to restore the sight of a man who had been partially blind for three years.

In June 1939, their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Kitchener on their tour across Canada.  The Royal couple was only going to be in town for about ten minutes.  Thousands of people, however, would be in town.  What could be done for these people once the Royal Train departed? The Kitchener Lions proposed a Summer Festival.  The Mayor at the time Mr. C. Gordon declared in an open letter to Waterloo County, "The Summer Festival will be held in Victoria Park Kitchener." "A vast program of amusements, entertainment and merry making is being planned."  "It will include sports events, massed banned music, water sports and pageantry.  "All the resources of Kitchener Lions Club are being centered upon making the Summer Festival an event which will be long remembered as second only to the visit of their Majesties."

There was a parade with over 3,500 people marching 1,250 of whom were Boy Scouts.  An estimated 7,000 people gathered at Victoria Park  The day climaxed with a fireworks display that outlined the British Monarch an his Queen.

Throughout the war years (1939-1945), the Club continued to operate.  They sponsored public campaigns for the following; food and clothing for Britain, relief for the people of Greece and entertainment for the Canadian Women's Corps training in Kitchener.  At the end of the war the Club honoured the returning veterans with a dinner. This became an annual event and was subsequently taken over by the City of Kitchener.  The Club also held annual dinners for the Silver Cross Mothers.

Projects of the Club over the years include; Belwood Lake Camp, (now operated by the K-W Y.M.C.A.) operation of a Christmas hamper bureau for Waterloo Region, an Audio-Logical Unit to K-W Hospital, support of local minor sports teams, $16,000 to purchase a new snow plow for K-W Hospital, purchase of hearing aids, eye glasses and audio aids, Lake Joseph Summer CNIB Camp, our Club arranged transportation and accommodation for 45,000 children to attend Expo '67 in Montreal.  In 1979 a partnership was formed with the City of Kitchener to help finance the Kitchener Lions Community Arena.  Over $200,000 was donated to pay for the reflecting pool and skating rink in front of Kitchener's City Hall.

Over the past 35 plus years our main fundraising event has been Altes Muchen Haus, a festhall at Queensmount Arena during the KW Oktoberfest festivies in early October. Canadian Poka King and Emmy Award winner Walter Ostenak and his band has been the main headliner for over 30 years. Our Annual Magic Show has resulted in donations of over $600,000 to the Dog Guide Program.  In 2004 we took over the KW Santa Claus Parade held every 3rd Saturday in November and in 2007 we initiated the hosting of the KW Citizen of the Year which started in 1957.

Our contributions to various community organization, groups and people in need is vast and below are some.

Arthritis, C.O.D.R.P. ALS, Children's Safety Village, CHYM Tree of Hope, Grand River Hosptial, St. Mary's Hospital, Huntington Society, Mary's Place KW YMCA, Sunbeam Centre, Blind Curlers and Lawn Bowling, Children's Wish Foundation, KW Water Polo, KW Spirit Soccer, RAISE, Waterloo County Rugby, Waterloo Prenatal, Hospice of Waterloo, Kids Link, Kitchener Firefighters Memorial, Kitchener Firefighters Pipe and Drum Corp, Health Sciences Project, Food and Beverage Scholarship at Conestoga College. As well as Lions projects such as Campaign Sight First, Camp Dorest, CNIB Lake Jo, Lions Quest, Sight Convservation, Youth Exchange Program, Camp Kirk.