Beta Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society recently chose the Niagara Lions Club for its Friend of Education Award. From left are Beta Sigma member Sara Foster, Lion Mark Zenko, Lions Club Treasurer Dan Decker, Lion Tammy Sweig, Beta Sigma Co-President Debra Pajula, Lion Steve McMillan, Lions Club President Gordon Behnke, Beta Sigma Co-President Pauline Hill, Lion Kim Schuster and Lions Club Secretary Kerry Grippen.

NIAGARA, Wis. — Beta Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society recently voted unanimously to award its Friend of Education Award to the Niagara Lions Club.

Beta Sigma Chapter Co-Presidents Debra Pajula and Pauline Hill, along with member Sara Foster, presented the award to Niagara Lions Club President Gordon Behnke, Lion Secretary Kerry Grippen and Lion Treasurer Dan Decker. Several other Lions were on hand for the presentation.

“The Niagara Lions Club is an exemplary group that is very active in their community of Niagara and the surrounding area. They provide free vision screening to hundreds of children in the Niagara, Florence and Pembine school districts as well as to small children at local daycare centers using high-tech equipment,” Pajula said. “They identify many children who may require vision care, thus helping to remove one major obstacle to academic development.”

The Lions also annually give out four $500 scholarships locally, for a total of $2,000 awarded. The Lions scholarship program dates to its inception in 1986 and over the years Niagara graduates have received $50,000 in scholarships.

The club annually contributes as well to sixth-grade students attending the Northern Impact Center and has made annual donations to help support Niagara students’ participation in the Great Eight Games.

The Lions also have provided financial support to Niagara school’s Student Backpack Project, which provides needy students with food for weekends and holidays and they are a major supporter of the local “Coats of Many Colors” fundraiser that provides winter clothing to needy students.

The Lions originated and continue to sponsor the annual “Stuff the Bus” campaign that solicits school supplies for needy elementary students.

For many years the Niagara Lions have joined with the local American Legion and Auxiliary to cover the cost for two high school junior girls and two boys to attend Badger Girls State and Badger Boys State, where they learn about how state government works and hear from elected state officials.

This outstanding organization holds many fundraising activities to help finance their support for education and community events, but perhaps most notable is the annual Niagara Lions Club Picnic in late June.

Student groups and other community organizations work at the picnic and earning hundreds of dollars that in turn support those groups’ individual projects and goals. This picnic, a two-day event, includes a parade; the crowning of Miss Niagara, which the club originated in 1968; children’s games; live music; food and beverage booths; and prize raffles, to name a few. The Lions Picnic concludes with what is claimed to be the area’s best fireworks display. This year’s event will be Friday and Saturday, June 24-25.

Beta Sigma Chapter congratulates the Niagara Lions Club on this well-deserved award and thanks the club for its continuing contributions to students, schools, and education.

DKG is an honorary international organization of woman educators that promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

The Beta Sigma Chapter includes members from Michigan’s Dickinson, Delta and Menominee counties, along with neighboring Wisconsin’s Marinette, Oconto and Florence counties.