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Southbridge Lions Club

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Southbridge Lions Club

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10/29/2026

🦁 Southbridge Lions Club Welcomes New Member Rafael Ortiz!

The Southbridge Lions Club was pleased to welcome Rafael Ortiz as our newest member during our October 6 meeting!

Rafael was introduced to the club by fellow Lion Tim Cooke, who sponsored his membership. Lion Gary Fontaine served as master of ceremonies, leading Rafael and club members through the traditional Lions induction ceremony.

Following the ceremony, each Lion introduced themselves to Rafael, giving him an opportunity to get to know his fellow members. And, of course, no Lions induction would be complete without a hearty ROAR! 🦁

We are delighted to have Rafael join our club and look forward to working alongside him as we continue serving the Southbridge community.

A special thank-you to Tim Cooke for bringing Rafael into the Lions family, and to Gary Fontaine for conducting the ceremony.

Welcome aboard, Rafael!

🦁 Southbridge Lions Club — We Serve.

10/29/2026

🦁 Southbridge Lions Club Welcomes District 33A Zone Chairman Stephen Grober
At our latest meeting, King Steve Stella introduced our guest speaker, Stephen Grober, a member of the Webster Lions Club and Zone Chairman for Lions District 33A.
Stephen gave our members an informative look at what's happening in the world of Lions beyond our own club, sharing updates on initiatives and programs at both the Lions Clubs International and District 33A levels.
Among the topics discussed were:
🌎 Lions International Convention – An opportunity for Lions from around the world to come together, exchange ideas, and learn about the organization's ongoing efforts.
🦁 Mid-Year Convention – A discussion of the upcoming district gathering, which will take place right here in Southbridge.
🌱 Environmental Initiatives – A look at some of the environmental programs and projects being developed within Lions.
🎶 All-State High School Band – A discussion of this program and its connection to Lions.
💻 Communication and the Lions Portal – Stephen explained some of the tools available to help Lions clubs stay informed and connected. The Lions Portal was of particular interest, and our club plans to explore how it might benefit our members.
While some of these topics were familiar, others provided new information and ideas for our club to consider.
The evening also gave members an opportunity to ask questions and gain a better understanding of the larger Lions organization and the many activities taking place beyond our local community.
Our thanks to Stephen Grober for taking the time to visit and share his knowledge with us, and to King Steve Stella for arranging an interesting and informative program.
🦁 Southbridge Lions Club — We Serve.

10/24/2026

🦁♠️ COMING UP FAST — DON'T MISS OUT! ♥️♦️
The cards will be flying soon! The Southbridge Lions Club's Fall Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament is right around the corner!
Whether you play regularly or just enjoy an occasional poker game with friends, here's your chance for a great night of cards, friendly competition, and a chance to win some cash — all while supporting our community!
📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
📍 Maqui's — 61 Chestnut St., Southbridge
♠️ Doors open at 4:00 PM — cards fly after 5:00 PM
♥️ $100 donation = $8,000 in chips
♦️ Guaranteed 1st Place Prize: $2,500!
♣️ Extra place paid for every 10 players after the first 30
🍴 Appetizers served
🔞 Must be 18 or older
💰 All prizes paid by money order
⏳ Only the first 150 players can get in, so don't wait until the last hand to make your move!
Ready to claim your seat? Contact:
📞 Russ LaBarge — 774-230-1624
📞 Wayne Boiteau — 774-230-1982
Come for the poker, enjoy the company, and help the Southbridge Lions continue making a difference in our community.
🦁 Southbridge Lions Club — We Serve!

10/22/2026

🦁 Southbridge Lions Club Welcomes Town Council Chairman Dave Adams
A Conversation About Southbridge — Today and Tomorrow
At our latest Southbridge Lions Club meeting, Lion Steve Kelly welcomed a familiar face to our community — Dave Adams, Chairman of the Southbridge Town Council.
Steve, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Town Council, introduced Dave by highlighting several issues the current council has been addressing, including the regional Dispatch Center and the proposed moratorium on data centers.
In addition to his role as Town Council Chairman, Dave serves as President of the Southbridge Veterans Council and President of the Southbridge Business Partnership — three positions that keep him actively involved in different aspects of our community.
Listening to the Residents of Southbridge
A major theme of Dave's presentation was the importance of listening to the people of Southbridge and responding to their concerns.
He pointed to last June's referendum on the Dispatch Center as an example. Southbridge voters made their wishes clear, overwhelmingly supporting the proposal. Dave explained that the town is now moving forward on a path toward participation in the regional Dispatch Center.
Another important topic was the proposed moratorium on data centers. Dave discussed the council's ongoing work on the issue, with action expected at its next meeting in early November. He also explained plans to request a study by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) examining the potential advantages and disadvantages of data centers and what their presence could mean for Southbridge.
And, of course, no discussion about town government would be complete without mentioning our roads! Road conditions and improvements were also part of the conversation.
Dave shared that he feels "honored" to have been selected to serve as Chairman of the Town Council.
An Opportunity for Questions and Conversation
Following his presentation, Lions members had the opportunity to ask questions about these and other matters affecting Southbridge.
One of the benefits of programs like this is the chance to hear directly from the people involved in making decisions for our town. With so much information and commentary appearing on social media, a face-to-face conversation offers an opportunity to better understand the issues, the process behind decisions, and the challenges facing our community.
A Special Recognition of Military Service 🇺🇸
During the evening, one of our members pointed out an interesting fact: Southbridge's Town Council leadership includes two retired senior military officers:
• Steve Kelly — Retired Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force
• Dave Adams — Retired Sergeant Major, United States Marine Corps
We thank both gentlemen for their military service and recognize their continued involvement in our community.
Thank You!
Our thanks to Dave Adams for taking the time to visit the Southbridge Lions Club, share updates on town matters, and answer our questions. And a special thank-you to Lion Steve Kelly for arranging an informative and engaging program.
It's always worthwhile to have an open conversation about the community we all call home.
🦁 Southbridge Lions Club — We Serve.

10/05/2026

🦁🪣 THANK YOU, SOUTHBRIDGE! 🪣🦁
Southbridge Lions Club Annual Bucket Brigade
This past Saturday, October 3, Southbridge Lions Club members once again took to the streets of downtown Southbridge for our annual Bucket Brigade — and once again, our community came through for us! 💛
Thanks to the generosity of passing motorists and neighbors who stopped to contribute, our buckets filled up throughout the morning — one donation at a time.
Every dollar collected helps the Southbridge Lions continue providing assistance to local individuals facing sight and hearing challenges and supporting the community service projects that are at the heart of what we do.
Whether you dropped in some change, a few dollars, or simply gave our Lions a wave as you passed by, we appreciate your support.
From all of us at the Southbridge Lions Club, THANK YOU, SOUTHBRIDGE, for your generosity and for continuing to support our efforts in the community.
🦁 Southbridge Lions Club — We Serve.

10/04/2026

🦁♠️ Think You’ve Got a Poker Face? ♥️♦️
The Southbridge Lions are shuffling up the cards and dealing out another night of Texas Hold ’Em!
Whether you’re a regular at the poker table, play once in a while, or just enjoy a good night out with friends, come join us on Saturday, November 7 at Maqui’s, 61 Chestnut St., Southbridge.
♠️ Doors open at 4:00 PM — cards fly after 5:00 PM
♥️ $100 donation = $8,000 in chips
♦️ Guaranteed 1st Place: $2,500
♣️ Extra place paid for every 10 players after the first 30
🍴 Appetizers served
🔞 18+
💰 All prizes paid by money order
♠️ Limited to the first 150 players
And remember: You can’t win if you don’t play. You also can’t lose if you don’t play…but where’s the fun in that? 😎
Come play some cards, enjoy a fun night out, and help the Southbridge Lions Club support our community at the same time.
To register:
📞 Russ Labarge — 774-230-1624
📞 Wayne Boiteau — 774-230-1982
🦁 Join the action, support the community—and whatever you do, don’t let the lion see your cards! 🃏

10/02/2026

🚢🦁 ALL ABOARD THE INDIAN PRINCESS! 🦁🚢 Tuesday night, Lion Paul Berry had the program and welcomed Captain Russ Talisman, captain of the Indian Princess, the historic paddle wheel boat docked at Indian Ranch in Webster.
Captain Russ has some local roots himself—he’s a graduate of the former Cole Trade School right here in Southbridge and was a familiar face to a few of our members.
He started the evening with some fascinating history of Webster Lake—including its famously long full name, which we won’t even attempt to spell! We learned about the lake’s early history, its importance to the Native people of the area, and later its role in powering the mills that helped shape the town of Webster.
Then it was on to the Indian Princess.
Built in Wisconsin in 2000, the 99-foot-long vessel originally operated on the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. And this isn’t just a boat that looks like an old-fashioned paddle wheeler—the Indian Princess is the real thing. Her twin 75-horsepower diesel engines power the two paddle wheels at the stern, which provide the boat’s propulsion.
The vessel was purchased by Webster Ventures in 2011, renamed the Indian Princess, and eventually made her way from Fort Myers, Florida, to Webster Lake in 2013. Today, she calls Indian Ranch home.
Captain Russ told us about the public cruises around Webster Lake as well as private charters for parties, weddings, and other special events. He also shared plenty of stories from his time aboard and answered lots of questions from our members.
By the end of the evening, it sounded like quite a few Lions were ready to trade their meeting chairs for deck chairs and take an evening cruise around Webster Lake! 🚢🌅
It was a fun and interesting program enjoyed by everyone.
Want to learn more about the Indian Princess or check out upcoming cruises?
Visit the Indian Ranch website: https://indianranch.com/cruises/
Thank you, Paul, for arranging the program, and thank you, Captain Russ, for spending the evening with the Southbridge Lions! 🦁

09/25/2026

🦁 A SPECIAL LIONS PROGRAM — AN UPDATE FROM EMMA 💙
Tonight, Lion Russ LaBarge brought us a very special program featuring his family — Mike and Kaitlyn LaBarge and their daughters, Emma and Addie.
Six years ago, Emma was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a diagnosis that changed life not only for Emma, but for her entire family.
For the past five years, the Southbridge Lions Club has sponsored Emma’s attendance at Clara Barton Resident Camp for girls in North Oxford. And each year, the LaBarge family has returned to share Emma’s journey with us.
Kaitlyn has helped educate our members about what it means to live with Type 1 diabetes — from the constant monitoring and daily challenges to the remarkable advances in treatment and technology. She has also reminded us that diabetes affects the entire family. Everyone is always watching, helping and making sure Emma has what she needs.
We are fortunate to have The Barton Center for Diabetes Education so close to home. Its camps and programs give children living with diabetes the opportunity to have fun, make friends, learn to manage their diabetes and, perhaps most importantly, discover just how much they can do on their own.
And we have seen that firsthand with Emma.
Over these five years, we’ve watched a young girl grow, mature and develop a real sense of confidence and independence. Emma has learned that “I can do it” — and her family has learned that she really can!
That is what makes supporting programs like this so meaningful to the Southbridge Lions Club. Sometimes the impact of community service isn't measured in numbers. Sometimes you get to see it unfold year after year in the life of a young person.
Thank you to Kaitlyn, Mike, Emma and Addie for once again sharing your story with us — and thank you, Russ, for bringing us such a meaningful program.
We Serve. 🦁

09/23/2026

Facebook, 9/23/26
🪣🦁 FILL THE BUCKET! 🦁🪣
The Southbridge Lions Club is “taking it to the streets” once again for our annual Bucket Brigade fundraiser on Saturday, October 3 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM!
You’ll find Lions members around town at:
📍 Main Street
📍 Elm Street
📍 Central Street
📍 Foster Street
📍 Everett Street
📍 Chapin Street
📍 Hamilton Street
…or stop by and say hello at our table outside the Big Bunny! 🐰
Every dollar collected helps local individuals and families facing sight and hearing challenges right here in our community. Through your generosity, the Lions are able to continue providing vision and hearing assistance, scholarships, youth programs, and other important community support.
💛 No donation is too small.
💛 Every coin, dollar, and contribution make a difference.
💛 Together, we can help “Fill the Bucket” for neighbors in need!
Thank you, Southbridge, for your continued support year after year. We couldn’t do it without this amazing community! 🙌

09/18/2026

🔧 BAY PATH — BUILDING PATHWAYS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES 🎓
At our Lions Club meeting tonight, Lion Kevin Congdon welcomed Kyle Brenner, Superintendent-Director of Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School, along with Kirsten Congdon, Southbridge’s representative on the Bay Path School Committee.
Kyle shared an informative look at what’s happening at Bay Path and the important role the school plays in our region.
Bay Path offers 23 different vocational programs, including its newest program, Diesel Technology. These programs are developed not only to meet state requirements, but also with input from professionals who are working in the trades today. That helps students gain the practical skills and experience they need to move directly into careers or continue their education.
And the demand is certainly there. Kyle explained that Bay Path currently receives about three applications for every available seat. The existing facility limits how many students can be accepted, leaving many young people on a waiting list who would like the opportunity to attend.
Kyle also discussed a major change affecting vocational schools across Massachusetts: a new lottery-based admissions system mandated by the state. Because the system is so new, there is not yet enough information to know what its long-term impact will be on Bay Path and students from our local communities.
Bay Path’s impact goes beyond high school students. Adult education is returning, along with CTI training opportunities designed to help people who are unemployed or underemployed develop skills that can lead to good jobs and new careers.
Bay Path serves students from 10 communities, providing young people—and now more adults—with another pathway toward a successful future.
The Southbridge Lions have a special connection to Bay Path as well. Many of our own Lions are proud Bay Path graduates! 🦁
Thank you to Kyle and Kirsten for joining us, and a special thank-you to Lion Kevin Congdon for arranging an excellent and very timely program.

Address

Southbridge, MA
01550

Telephone

+17742301623

Website

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