Members of the Oakdale Lions Club may have been doing more work behind the scenes … but they have been working nonetheless, taking on projects to better the community.
With a background rooted in service, club members said they want the community to know they are still out there, despite having to mask up amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Club President Jim Austin said recent efforts for the club included a Saturday workday at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery, followed up by a drive-thru Breakfast Burrito event on Sunday, staged at the Bianchi Community Center.
At the cemetery on East J Street, club members turned out in force for the March 20 event, working to prepare an area, set forms and help pour new concrete strips that will allow for adding more gravesites.
According to cemetery officials, a local rancher donated funds to add one new strip while the Lions Club worked on getting materials and funds donated to add the second strip.
Austin said the members will have a follow up work day at the cemetery, as the installation of two new strips is not a one-day project.
Then, keeping up a hectic pace for the weekend, Austin said members gathered early Sunday morning March 21 to set up the drive-thru burrito event. He said while it wasn’t specifically a fundraiser, they did take donations if people wanted to give them. More so, Austin said, it was a ‘thank you’ to the community, for their continued support of the club.
Traditionally, the Lions Club puts on a pancake breakfast fundraiser in March and, last year, many people had already purchased tickets when the pandemic forced cancellation of the breakfast. Most people opted to not get their money back, offering it as a donation to the Lions Club. The drive-thru burrito breakfast, which also included juice, coffee and water, all delivered curbside by club members, was put on to thank those that supported the breakfast last year. The club put together 500 burritos that morning.
Austin said the club also continues meeting, though still on Zoom, but hopes to get back to in-person meetings soon.
