Cumberland-North Yarmouth Lions Club

    MSAD #51 is fortunate to have, within its community, some dedicated and philanthropic citizens who make up the Cumberland-North Yarmouth Lions Club, a charitable, non-profit organization commenced in 1961[1].  The primary purpose of this club, is to serve the community and to “take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.”[2]  To this end, the Club currently consists of 53 members[3]  and raises approximately $20,000 per year so that it can make donations to organizations such as Camp Sunshine, the Iris Network, Meal on Wheels, Opportunity Farm, Cumberland North Yarmouth Little League, Prince Memorial Library, American Legion Baseball, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts,  to name a few.

     The CNY Lions Club is also significantly involved in the school system in a number of different ways.  One of the notable, annual endowments by the Club is the scholarship award.  The Club has a Scholarship Fund Committee which is comprised of Club members and one or more citizens of the community.  The Scholarship Fund administrator is Ken Snitger.  The fund was started in 1987 and provides scholarship grants for graduating Greely High School students and Greely graduates continuing their education for a bachelor or associate degree in a college or trade school of their choice.  The fund, now in its 24^th year, has awarded over $175,000 in grants to Greely graduates.  The fund normally grants eight to ten scholarships and the awards have grown from an average of $300 in 1988 to an average of $1,300 in 2011.  The scholarship fund is supported by way of the Lions' annual citrus sale and Cabin Fever dinner.

     The Lions Club also annually recognizes graduating seniors by way of a Senior Recognition Award.  Six seniors (three male and three female), who are recommended by Greely High School are selected.  The students are acknowledged at the Club's last regular meeting (typically the fourth Monday in April).

     Furthermore, the Lions Club awards a monthly Service Student award.  This award is coordinated by Lions Club member Phil Hunt.  The award is to recognize students who are providing service to the school.  These awards were started in 2003.  Three awards are presented in the fall and three in the spring.

     There are a number of ways that you can support the Cumberland-North Yarmouth Lions Club.  The Lions Club runs the food booth at Twinbrook youth events, it also operates a food booth at the Cumberland County Fair and Craft Fair, organizes the food booth at the Walnut Hill Christmas Fair, solicits citrus sales before the holidays, assembles and sells apple pies prior to Thanksgiving and organizes a winter supper- called Cabin Fever.  This year Cabin Fever is on March 31 at the Congregational Church in Cumberland with a seating at 5:30 and one at 7:00.  You can look for details regarding all of these activities in the Forecaster, MSAD 51 website (www.msad51.org) and by way of emails.

     [1]   Originally founded as the Cumberland Men's Club with 12 charter members.  Allard Knight, Sr. was the first President.  Don Drew and Dick Sweetser were original charter members and still members today.