The Strasburg Lions Club will hold its annual veterans' concert on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. The free show will be held on the lawn of the Strasburg Borough Office, 145 Precision Ave., Strasburg.

The event will feature a performance from the Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band, which will play an arrangement of patriotic music and popular modern hits. The Lions Club invites members of the community to bring a lawn chair for the show and enjoy the shade for an evening of music and fellowship.

This will be the 31st year that the Lions Club has held the concert in Strasburg, a tradition that was started by the late Donnie Bachman in partnership with the local VFW. After Bachman passed away and the VFW disbanded, the Lions Club became involved to ensure that the tradition would be carried on. "Our intention is to gear the concert toward veterans, but all are welcome," said Bruce Ryder, who is a member of the Strasburg Lions Club and the mayor of Strasburg Borough. "(The concert) has a nice mix of musical selections for both veterans and those just looking to enjoy a nice show."

The primary goal of the event remains the recognition and appreciation of community members who have served in the military or who are actively serving. In addition to playing "The Star-Spangled Banner," the Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band will perform a variety of songs representing the branches of the military. Traditionally, veterans in the audience are asked to stand when their respective branch's service song is played.

In addition to sponsoring the free veterans' concert every summer, the Strasburg Lions Club is involved with several community projects in the area. The organization regularly hosts fundraising activities to support its community efforts, including sub sales and volunteer work with local organizations. Recently, members of the Lions Club assisted the Strasburg Rail Road with event parking; in exchange, the Strasburg Rail Road made a donation to the club.

The Strasburg Lions Club often completes small service projects with the money raised from its fundraisers. This year, club members completed a project to install a ramp for a Strasburg resident to make their home handicapped accessible. At the end of each school year, the club offers scholarships to graduating seniors at Lampeter-Strasburg High School.

"Our goal is to serve," Ryder said. "Both as residents of Strasburg and members of the larger Lions Club organization, we try to provide support for local organizations and individuals in the community."

In recent years, the Lions Club has partnered with VisionCorps in Lancaster, which provides resources for those with visual impairments. The club regularly supports nonprofits that offer assistance to those with cancer, as well as local Little League teams and Boy Scouts.