Service organizations are an integral part of any community, lending their support to a variety of causes and making sure those in need don’t fall through the cracks.

The Bedford Lions Club is one such organization here in Bedford, reaching out to others at the local and international levels. You can learn more about the club at www.nhlions.org/bedford.

Club President David Lent took some time to tell us about the mission of the Lions Club, what the club’s name means and how it came to be affiliated with eyesight-related causes.

Here’s part of the conversation:

Question: How long have you been a member of the Bedford Lions Club? Did you hold any other positions within the organization before becoming president?

Answer: I have been a member of the Bedford Lions Club for almost 10 years. During that time, I have served in each of the club officer positions. My current term is my third term as president.

Q: What made you decide to join the Lions Club?

A: A longtime friend and charter member of the club approached me about joining shortly after my dad passed away. My dad was a member of a Lions Club in upstate New York and my mom was a Lioness. Joining Lions seemed like an appropriate way to honor them and serve the town of Bedford as well.

Q: What is the mission of the Lions Club? Why does the organization have such strong ties to eyesight?

A: The mission of Lions Club International is “To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions Clubs.” In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions International Convention and challenged the organization to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Since that time, serving the blind and vision impaired has been a primary part of our mission.

Q: Does the Lions Club’s name have any particular significance?

A: The lion is a symbol of four outstanding qualities: courage, strength, activity and fidelity. The Lions emblem features two lions’ profiles facing away from the center of the emblem, one facing the past and one facing the future, showing pride of heritage and confidence in the future.

Q: How long has there been a Bedford chapter of the Lions Club? Why was the chapter founded?

A: The Bedford Lions Club was granted a charter Nov. 8, 1965, with a roster of 20 members. Two of those charter members, Dick Como and Tony Juliano, are still active members. I am told that the Bedford Lions Club was the first service organization in Bedford. Much like the foundation of Lions Clubs International, the Bedford Lions Club was founded by a group of individuals with a common interest in serving their community at the local, national and international level.

Q: How is the Bedford Lions Club involved in the local community?

A: The Bedford Lions have financially supported the community in many ways, including donations to the Bedford Library, the Fire Department and the Parks and Recreation Department, to name a few. Annually, it awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are Bedford residents.

Most recently, the club donated the net proceeds of its annual pancake breakfast to the Bedford Historical Society in support of its renovations to the Stevens-Buswell School.

As part of our core mission, we have provided financial assistance to Bedford residents who were sight or hearing impaired who could not otherwise afford to visit a specialist or purchase glasses or hearing aids.

In addition to financial support, members have given their time to sponsor the “Kids-K” race at Bedford’s Olde Town Day, pass out transfer station stickers for the Department of Public Works, deliver groceries for CareGivers, provide vision screening for infants and young children, collect and recycle eyeglasses, pick up litter along Route 101 in the center of town and many other projects in support of our community.

Q: How can someone become a member of the Bedford Lions Club?

A: Membership in Lions is by invitation only. We are always interested in meeting people who share our passion for service. Anyone older than 18 who is interested in joining us may contact our membership chairman Ernie Henrichon at 472-5293 or henrichon@comcast.net. They may also contact me at 472-4099 or dc_68_lent@myfairpoint.net.

Q: How can the Bedford community help the club achieve its goals?

A: We owe a great deal of thanks to the residents and businesses in Bedford and the surrounding area for their support. … Our annual antique show and sale is held in August and our pancake breakfast and BLC 400 Raffle are held on Palm Sunday. We often sponsor a casino bus trip in January. Eyeglass drop off locations as well as information on our activities and meetings are posted at www.bedford.nhlions.org.