(Second in a series of two featuring clubs and organizations as each comes out of the pandemic. First week featured Toastmasters, Clarion Ruritans, and Clarion’s Marys and Marthas.)
Like everything, Clarion’s clubs and organizations were also affected by COVID-19 to varying degrees. Each one continues to look for your support. Some readers might consider joining a club or organization. Or support them as they serve the community with their outreaches and/or fundraisers.
Clarion Rotary
Clarion Rotary, which meets weekly on Mondays over the lunch hour, found creative ways to keep meeting in the past year plus. Sherri O’Brien, who serves as the club’s secretary, said, “We continued to meet via Zoom, which we found to be effective. One member was away for the winter months, so she was able to keep meeting with us.”
During the summer months, club members met at Gazebo Park and practiced social distancing. As the months turned colder, Rotary members met at the Congregational Church, again with social distancing. The last few meetings, they have resumed their meetings at Iowa Specialty Hospital, eating lunch at the Wildflower Café prior to each meeting.
“We eat and socialize,” said O’Brien. “One member is responsible for each week’s program. We have guest speakers or bring some topic of information to the group to help us learn something we may otherwise not know.”
O’Brien said current members range in age from 30s – 60s. “We are always looking for new members.” Anyone wanting more information on the Clarion Rotary, she invites people to contact her at 515-532-2100.
Clarion’s AAUW
Clarion’s American Association of University Women (AAUW) also learned that technology could keep them meeting, without being in the same room. Member Diane Edwards said, “We kept going using Zoom for our meetings. We learned to work around the virus.”
One thing they learned is that they had more ‘attending’ using Zoom. “About one-third of our members go south for the winter,” Edwards said, “so we could keep attending our meetings. We may keep that technology portion going in the future.” She said that their first in-person meeting was held at the country club in September with new CGD superintendent Joe Nelson. Some members were still not comfortable meeting together so they did both Zoom and in person.
Monthly programs are geared to emphasize women and girls. “We have taken young women to colleges looking at STEM studies,” said Edwards. “For ten years, we worked with a program called Latina al Exito, focusing on middle through high school Hispanic young women, encouraging them to stay in school and to get more education after graduation.”
Their major fundraisers are an annual book sale in conjunction with the Three County Highway 3 Corridor Garage Sales and serving quad meals at the high school. “With the Clarion Lions Club, we held a Wright County candidates forum last fall prior to the election,” Edwards said. “We hope to host another one this fall for the city election.”
While the club has 20 plus members currently, the group always looks for additional members. For membership, women must have a minimum of an associate degree (two years of college). Edwards invites anyone who would like more information on AAUW to contact her at 515-571-5534.
Clarion Lions
Clarion’s Lions Club suspended their twice-a-month meetings (2nd and 4th Mondays) for a number of months and are just now getting back to meetings.
Dennis Bowman, who serves as its Work Night coordinator, said, “We have really been focused on some community work projects. With grants from the Wright County Charitable Foundation and Clarion’s Hotel & Motel tax, we have been repairing picnic tables, replacing damaged wood and purchasing a few new tables. We hope to have our work done by the end of the summer. We have been fortunate to have the city let us use a city shed for our work when conditions aren’t right to work outside.”
Bowman said the club continues to look for projects which serve the needs of the community. “We have a few more ideas of things on which we could work, but we always look for new ideas if people have some good ones,” he said.
The Lions were able to keep their current members following the pandemic but are always on the lookout for new ones. “Our normal meetings are held at Clarion’s Pizza Ranch (when we aren’t doing work projects),” Bowman said. “We eat together at 6. We are fortunate to have welcomed several younger members. We can always use more!” Current club president is Kaleb Vorwald.
Anyone wanting more information on the Clarion Lions, or Lions clubs in general, contact Bowman (515-571-2150), Vorwald, or any Lions club member.
