It is time to think about Thanksgiving and Christmas and serving a Lions Club Holiday Ham. Orders for these delicious hams are needed by Sunday, November 3, 2025, for Thanksgiving delivery on Friday, November 21. 2025. Orders for Christmas hams must be received by Monday, December 1, 2025, for Christmas delivery on Friday, December 19, 2025.
Hams are boneless, cooked, and smoked. Small sizes will range from 6 to 10 lbs., and large will range from 11 to 20 lbs. Exact size on any hams cannot be guaranteed. The cost is $5.00 per pound. Contact any Lion member or Jim Blakemore at 815-631-1781, Darlene Smith at 815-772-2346, or Ken Jansma at 309-236-8960. Proceeds from the sale help support the visual and hearing impaired and Morrison Lions Club community projects.
The Lions have been busy with several activities this fall. Beautiful weather was perfect for the Annual Lions Candy Days held on October 10 and 11, 2025. Community members and business owners supported the drive; Morrison Lions express a sincere thank you to all who donated. Funds collected are used for vision and hearing needs. Lions of Illinois Foundation receives 60% of donations, and 40% is kept by our Club for needs of our community.
Another service project is the annual fall cleanup on one mile of Highway 30 East, which was completed on Friday, October 17. The Club has done this service project for years. Interesting items are always found, each time the volunteers complete the cleanup!
The Club also took part in the Morrison Homecoming Parade on Friday, October 3. This year the Lion rode on a motorcycle, while members walked the route carrying banners displaying a list of our many service projects. The Lion made a big hit with all the children.
Morrison Lions Club was involved with establishment of Morrison Rockwood State Park during the 1970s and 1980s, which took several years to complete. Our Club since that time has continued making improvements at the park, by installing flag poles and raising funds for the Lions aged and handicapped fishing pier, which became a reality in 1984. In 2012, Lions replaced the pier’s wooden shake roof with a metal roof and refurbished the donor list display.
Minor repairs have been done at various times since the roof was replaced. Recently major repair work was completed. It included replacement of boards, power washing, and re-staining. The much-used pier is now in great shape! The Morrison Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the improved fishing pier on Tuesday, October 21, at 11:00 a.m.
Left-to-right are Lions Bob Smith, Ken Jansma, Darlene Smith, Jim Ridley, Martha Kophamer, Bob Countryman, Flora Stralow, Jim Blakemore, and Jim Winslow; Chamber of Commerce President Tiffany Tipton, members Pam Pfister and Mark Musselman. Lion Brian Melton was the photographer.
The Lions members enjoy having fun and participating in service projects throughout the year. We invite anyone interested in knowing more about what Lions do, to visit our monthly meetings on the first and third Tuesday at noon at Happy Joe’s Pizza. Our motto is “WE SERVE.”
An interesting and informative program is presented on the first Tuesday meeting dates. Business meetings are on the third Tuesday. More information is available by visiting our website at www.eclubhouse.org/sites/morrisonil/contact.php.