LAKEWOOD – For more than 50 years, the McCaslin Lions Club has carried the Lions’ international tradition of service into the communities of Mountain, Lakewood, Doty, Riverview, and Townsend, supporting local causes through volunteer work, fundraising, scholarships, and charitable giving.

The Lions movement began in 1917, when Chicago businessman Melvin Jones founded the Association of Lions Clubs during a period shaped by World War I and rapid industrialization. By 1920, the organization had become international with the addition of the Border Cities Lions Club in Windsor, Canada.

A defining moment came in 1925, when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind,” inspiring a long-standing commitment to vision-related service, sight restoration, and blindness prevention. Lions also helped establish the nongovernmental organization section of the United Nations in 1945 and today include more than 1.4 million members worldwide.

The McCaslin Lions Club was chartered in 1973 with sponsorship from the Wabeno Lions Club. That same year, the club launched what would become its signature fundraiser, the Lakes Country Arts & Crafts Show.

Pat and Dick Bentz led the arts and crafts show for 18 years through 1995. In 1996, the event moved to the Lakewood pavilion and grounds, where money raised continues to support the Lions’ creed of “We Serve.”

Funds from the annual Lakes Country Arts & Crafts Show go back into the area through donations to about 30 charities and scholarships for graduating seniors at four area high schools. The club’s service priorities include children’s events such as the Kids Fishing Day and the Kids Christmas Party, the Oconto County Handicap Halloween Party, Trunk or Treat, the Mardi Gras Pickleball Tourney and Fishpond, Red Cross blood drives, student hearing and vision screenings, spring highway cleanup, local food pantry support, and Wisconsin Lions causes.

With 44 members, the McCaslin Lions Club welcomes new volunteers, partners, and supporters interested in strengthening local service. To get involved, contact Joel Smits at 920-618-3578.

Photo Caption: The McCaslin Lions Club’s signature fundraiser, the Lakes Country Arts & Crafts Show, supports about 30 local charities and scholarships for seniors at four area high schools. The event depends on club volunteers who handle registration, parking, grilling hot dogs, and other tasks.

Photo Credit: McCaslin Lions

Published on: Jul 25, 2026 at 8:29 am