How To Become a Member

We are always looking to welcome prospective members who are high energy, and looking to be actively involved in working to better their community

Interested in becoming a new member of the Grand Junction Loins Club? Here is all you have to do. First you will want to come and visit us for lunch at least 3 times. This will give you a chance to see what we are all about and to meet some of our members.

Remember, our motto is “Doing the most good, for the most people, while having the most fun

If you would like to visit the Grand Junction Loins Club for lunch please call (970)248-9376 or email Membership Director Joe O’Connor at; joe@amsoutsourcing.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

Community Betterment Committee (CBC)

The Community Betterment Committee (CBC) is the most important committee in the club. This is the committee that selects and recommends which projects to fund with the proceeds of our annual Carnival and Raffle.

The requirements in choosing projects is twofold: First, we fund capital, not operations; Second, we endeavor to do the most good for the most people.

Our bylaws offer other suggestions, including:

Never give to organized fund drives;
Never give to profit-making organizations;
As much as possible, leverage our funds by working in connection with other organizations, such as the city, School District, and other service clubs;
Requests under $5,000 should be referred to the Board of Directors;
No single project should receive a donation of more than two-thirds of the net proceeds of the current year’s Carnival.

Not funding a project does NOT mean that the applicant, or the applicant’s project, are not good, honorable and worthy projects or organizations. It just means we cannot fund them.

The CBC is comprised of 16 members, serving staggered four-year terms. The members, and the Chairman, are appointed by the President. The club President, 1st Vice President, and Treasurer sit on the CBC as ex officio (non voting) members.

The process begins in October, when grant applications are accepted.

In November, the CBC meets twice to narrow the list of grant applicants to a handful of finalists, then to decide which projects actually receiving funding (and for how much). At the November meeting of the Board, the CBC recommendations are reviewed and approved.

On the first Tuesday of December, the club votes on the CBC /Board recommendations in a closed meeting. All information and decisions are confidential throughout the process, including decisions at the closed meeting.

In January, on the day before Ticket Handout, a press conference is held to announce the projects and grant recipients to the media. This is timed to give extra publicity to ticket sales.

On the third Saturday of February, we hold the Carnival and Raffle to raise the money for our projects.

In March, as club members reconcile their ticket sales and finish turning in their money, the Carnival funds become available for the grant recipients. Projects are always funded through a reimbursement process, rather than giving the funds in advance and then auditing to see that they were spent properly.

Hometown Hero

The Hometown Hero award is given annually recognize someone who is generally unrecognized for their volunteer contributions to the community. The Award was created in 1999 to replace the Lioness of the Year award, given annually to the wife of a member of the Grand Junction Lions Club. The Board decided that it was no longer appropriate to honor a “Lioness” of the year due to the inclusion of female members in the Lions Club.

The award recipient is decided upon by the Hometown Hero Committee of the Grand Junction Lions Club. The committee is appointed by the Club President. The President shall also appoint the Chair or Chairs.

Generally, the award goes to an individual (in rare cases, a couple) who has spent a great deal of time and effort in support of some cause or meeting some need in the community. The award is intended to honor someone who is not well-known to the community as a whole, whose work has not been recognized, and whose efforts are generally unsung. While the recipient is frequently retired, the honor is for their volunteerism prior to retirement (balancing service with work and family obligations). In short, individuals finding time in their busy lives to volunteer.

The award is intended to be presented each autumn (September to November) at a regular meeting of the Grand Junction Lions Club. The name of the recipient is intended to be kept secret until the presentation is being made, and every effort should be made to keep the recipient from realizing they are attending the Lions Club meeting to receive an award. The award meeting date varies to give the committee flexibility as well as to keep the recipient from knowing they are being honored.

The honoree receives: $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice; a personal plaque of appreciation; a personal copy of the video presentation and script used at the ceremony; individual recognition in the Lions Display Case at Two Rivers Convention Center; and as much publicity and public recognition from the media as possible. The honoree becomes the Grand Marshall at the following year’s Carnival Parade. All past recipients are invited to each year’s award ceremony.

While it is difficult to describe exactly who would qualify, there are many specific qualities to be honored (as well as some specific disqualifications).

The award cannot go to a member of the Grand Junction Lions Club, nor the spouse/significant other of a Lion;
The award cannot go to someone who is paid for the work for which they will be honored (though the volunteer work may be directly related to their professional work);
The award should go to someone whose volunteer efforts are in addition to their work and family responsibilities (in other words, not someone whose efforts came only or primarily after they retired);
The award is for actual personal effort, rather than serving on boards or other leadership bodies;
The award cannot go to someone in elected office to honor them for that service in office;
The award should honor a long history of contributions, such as several years, rather than a short time or a single major effort;
The award should honor someone within the greater Grand Junction area, since that is the region served by the Grand Junction Lions Club;

Past award dates:      Recipients:                 Volunteer emphasis:
October 17, 2006          Joyce Hansen Hays       Tree House/Soup Kitchen/PD
October 11, 2005          Ray Camren                 Blood donor
October 26, 2004          Dr. Tom Tadvick           Dentistry at Marillac Clinic
November 18, 2003      Greg Martin                   Volunteer fireman
October 15, 2002          Danny Galloway            Special Olympics
September 25, 2001     Art Cook                       Search and Rescue
November 28, 2000      Richard and Bonnie Walt Foster children
October 26, 1999          Dave Mantlo                  Little League

2007 - 2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Reford Theobold

1st Vice President Karl Clemons

2nd Vice President Josh Aubert

3rd Vice President Ky Oday

Secretary Janet Brink

Treasurer Jim Verdieck

Lion Tail Twister Denise Richardson

Lion Tamer Pete Lipson

1 year Director Chuck Pabst

1 year Director John Stevens

1 year Director Randy Pearce

2 year Director Brad McCloud

Membership Joe O’Connor

2007 Committees List

Click here for the list.