Lions Club a worthwhile endeavor for man
By Sue Bero - Times Correspondent | Posted: Monday, April 26, 2010 12:00 am
Getting to know Rich Laurinec...
Rich Laurinec joined Whiting Lions Club to further a cause that was important to him and to benefit his community.
A member of Lions Club, the world's largest service club, since 1995, he is a past president of the local chapter. He attends meetings and takes part in most club activities.
Laurinec was introduced to the Whiting Lions Club by his father-in-law and several members of the community. He has stayed active in the organization because of the good work the club does and its willingness to help others in their local areas.
"Our motto is, 'we serve'," he said. "We do whatever it takes to serve the community."
Whiting Lions Club coordinates an annual health fair that is open to the public and was involved in rehabbing the Robertsdale war memorial. The club organizes special events and a holiday party for children with special needs and last year built a wheelchair accessible ramp on a house for a family with a disabled daughter. It was the second ramp built by club members.
"We put it up in one day at no cost to the family," he said.
Their major fundraiser is a pancake breakfast held in the spring, the Sunday after Easter. Members prepare and serve made-to-order pancake breakfasts served with sausage, orange juice, milk, coffee or tea. They prepare regular pancakes and offer a large selection of specialty pancakes such as apple, banana split, turtle and M&M's pancakes. Raffle tickets are sold - this year the prize was a trip to Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.whitinglionsclub.org.
"People ask us where our clubhouse is, 'we don't have one'," he said. "All the money we raise goes back into the community. We try to get involved as much as we can in the community. Lions Club is probably the best kept secret in Northwest Indiana."
Laurinec and his wife, Susan, live in Whiting and have four children and six grandchildren.
