Each year, members of the Honey Brook Lions Club award grants to local nonprofit organizations in the Honey Brook area. During the most recent check presentation ceremony, held on June 8 at the Lions Club Community Center, the club gave away grants totaling $16,595.

Grant winners who attended the event included Cub Pack leader Zach Walsh and Scout leader Cody Short from Troop 9, which meets at the Lions center; board president Rocky Advent and library director Jennifer Spade from the Honey Brook Community Library; Doris Haley from Doris Haley Ministries; Ivan Stoltzfus from Steeple to People Ministries; fire police Capt. Bill Ford, representing the Honey Brook Fire Company and Honey Brook Fire Police; Kyle Esh from the Honey Brook Youth Center; Kevin Putt from the Honey Brook Food Pantry; and Officers Robert Kliner and Bob Herzog from the Honey Brook Borough Police Department.

Lions president George Risbon presented the grants to the recipients, who were invited to speak briefly about the work of their organizations.

Other charitable endeavors that received grants from the club were Veterans Making a Difference, Lion James E. "Bing" Miller Charitable Foundation, Lions of Pennsylvania Foundation, Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) Run for the Son, Make-A-Wish, Angelman Syndrome Foundation, Pennsylvania Lions Sight Conservation & Eye Research Foundation, Leader Dogs for the Blind, the Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley, Beacon Lodge and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The Lions Club holds fundraisers to support the organizations. "We raise money throughout the year, and at the end of Lions year, which is June 30, we give it away to local organizations, some to international organizations and two scholarship winners from Twin Valley High School," explained Honey Brook Lions Club member Art Pecht, Pennsylvania district governor. He added that the club raised money this past year through the sale of calendars, a Fish Fry on Fridays during Lent, a golf outing and a potpie and chicken corn soup sale.

In addition to raising money, the club presents an annual Halloween Parade, a Breakfast with Santa and an Easter egg hunt - all of which are free and open to the community.

The club collects eyeglasses as part of a Lions Clubs International program. There are collection boxes in front of the Lions building and one at Eby's General Store in Honey Brook. As part of the program, donated lenses are cleaned and repurposed.

The club also sponsors a Leo Club at Twin Valley middle and high schools, as well as Honey Brook Boy Scout and Cub Scout Pack 9, which meet at the community center.

The Lions Club, which has approximately 30 members including lifetime members, meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6 p.m. at the community center. Prospective members are welcome to attend.

For more information about the Honey Brook Lions Club, visit http://www.facebook.com/HoneyBrookLionsClub.