Learn more about Lions Club International and the Norwich Lions Club at an informational meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21 in the Norwich Family YMCA Community Room. (Photo from Lions Club International)

NORWICH — In an effort to re-charter the Norwich Lions Club, an informational meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21 in the Norwich Family YMCA Community Room.

"We’re going to put together a short powerpoint and we’re just going to talk about Lions. We'll talk a little about the history of the Norwich Lions ... We’re going to talk a little about the Lions and the Lions history. We’re going to talk about how the international is set up," said former Lions Club District 20-Y Governor and New Club Committee Member David Hubman. "We’ll talk about the whole structure of how Lions works, from the local community to the international level."

"Nobody has to commit. There’s no commitment involved," he added. "Just come, hear about what Lions do, hear about what Lions did in Norwich."

Lions Club International is a worldwide organization that focuses on community service in five main areas: vision, diabetes, hunger, environment, and childhood cancer. However, local chapters also look to their community for what types of service is needed in that area.

Examples of service projects include vision screenings for students in local schools and Head Start programs, creating memorial parks and botanical gardens, donating beds to local children in need, supporting youth sports and activities, and supporting local events such as Colorscape or the Norwitch Fall Festival.

Norwich has had a Lions Club in the past, but Hubman said it was dissolved in 2022, and he began re-chartering efforts in March of 2023.

Now, to re-charter the group as a full club, he said he needs about 25 members to join. However, they would only need ten people to create a club branch, which functions just like any other Lions Club, but it also has the support of another local chapter. Hubman said it would likely be the Bainbridge, Oxford, or Greene club supporting the Norwich branch.

Those interested in attending the meeting or joining the Norwich Lions Club can contact Hubman at 315-240-7112 or dhubman61@gmail.com to register.

Once the club is formed, members can decide how frequently they'll meet, what their meetings will cover, and what service projects they want to do.

"They can meet once a month, they can meet twice a month, they can meet every week if they want to," said Hubman. "It certainly can be family friendly. I know there are some newer clubs that bring their kids and they have an activity for the kids and that kind of thing."

Hubman said once the Norwich Lions Club is re-chartered, members who joined before it became a charter member will be asked to sign the charter as a founding member, and will also receive a certification and commemorative pin.

"Once we get to the point where they’re chartered, we plan a big celebration, and we do a dinner, we do formal inductions," Hubman said. "We install their officers, we induct all of the members that are in attendance, and things like that. So we make it a really big celebration for the families and for the people that are joining."

Individuals of all ages are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more about the Lions Club and what they do, and join the new Norwich Lions Club to help serve the Norwich community.

For more information on Lions Club International, visit LionsClubs.org.