The Gustine Lions Club has a long tradition of giving to the community, marking their 75th year on Oct. 11, 2023.
The Gustine Lions club has strived to make an impact. Most recently, Gustine Lions club members coordinated with help from the city of Gustine, Westside 4-H Club and Rotary members to provide meals for the community, contribute to Toys for Tots and assist with bicycle donations in December.
“There’s no requirements,” said 10-year serving Lions Club President Delvert Roach. “You got to meet to join. We just need people to do these activities and stuff.”
They stand by initiatives for their community. The Gustine Lions Club consists of local residents and members who want to give back to the community. Rocha said there is such a little initial investment and comes with a high reward.
“We have two meetings a month and most of the time it’s a dinner meeting,” commented Rocha.
Lions club members strive to create effortless environments with members preparing meals for meetings and keeping the cost of participation low. But even with that, the interest in joining has faded.
“We’re having a hard time. It’s hard to get young people to join anymore,” Rocha mentioned.
Rocha is finding that many of the potential members are busy with their own lives, making it difficult for interested members to participate in meetings or projects.
“This younger generation, they just don’t have the time,” said Rocha.
Rocha’s concern is continuing the legacy of a long-time tradition. As he ages, he understands that there must be someone to replace him after leaving the club. Time, nor his age, are in his favor. But he does seek to continue innovating the club to change with times.
“I’m already 73,” Rocha mentioned. “How much longer am I going to be around? We need this younger generation to take over. We’re trying to get out there and talk to some of the younger people and trying to see if we can get them to join.”
The Gustine Lions meet every second and fourth Thursday of each month. Their meeting times are posted on online, which can be found at gustinelions.org. Also, if you are interested in joining, their application can be found on their website. Most importantly, further questions can be answered by emailing tjrocha60@gmail.com.
Editor’s Note: For areas like the Westside, service organizations and clubs have served as the backbone of the communities over the decades. But on a whole, these organizations are experiencing dramatic declines in membership and are looking for new individuals to pick up the mantle and help them survive and thrive for decades to come. The Westside Connect will be featuring the various clubs and service organizations in the community with the hope that it might spark new members to join. To have your organization featured, please email sstafford@westsideconnect.com.
