Celebrating its 75th Year, Branford Lions Invite All to 'Roaring Twenties' Anniversary Gala May 20

BRANFORD, CT — Seventy-five years ago, a group of community service-minded Branford men chartered the Branford Lions Club.

On May 20, the Club will celebrate the 1951 founding with a Roaring Twenties-themed gala dinner dance at The Woodwinds on School Ground Road. The event is described as reminiscent of the 1970s Sweetheart Ball, an event that the club held for more than 25 years each February at the Branford Armory.

In addition to dinner and dancing, several awards will be presented to outstanding Lions.

From our community at large, Eunice Lasala and Norman Gavin will be receiving Melvin Jones Fellowship Awards, the highest honor given from the International Association of Lions Clubs for community service.

The Branford Lions began by selling brooms door to door. Their many fundraising activities included the annual "Beerfest," which morphed into the current Branford Festival in 1985. The Beerfest event annually raised tens of thousands of dollars for eye research and other worthy community needs.

It now lives on in the Club’s annual “OKTOBERFEST” event at New England Brewing Company each autumn.

Other major projects have included painting the original Community House, building “Lion’s Park” at Connecticut Hospice, and rebuilding the old “Grandstand” at Hammer Field.

Current funds raised by the club support international disaster relief, eye research, support for the sight-impaired and hearing-impaired, and community service organizations, including the Food Bank, Community Dining Services, and Feed Branford Kids, among others.

The Lions also do local eye screenings, participating actively with KidSight, leading to important eye referrals for preschoolers in town. The club also collects used eyeglasses for refurbishing and reuse by the needy.

The Lions walked the annual Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation’s Walk to Fight Rare Diseases. The event supports rare disease research, advocacy, and patient care while uplifting the families who navigate these challenges every day. Beloved TV newscaster D'Ascenzo died suddenly and unexpectedly in December 2019.

Inspired by D’Ascenzo’s deep compassion and unwavering commitment to helping others, the Walk continues her legacy by turning collective kindness into tangible impact.

About the anniversary gala

The Roaring Twenties 75th Lions Anniversary event is open to all and especially to anyone who is or ever was a Lion or touched by the services of the Lions.

Tickets to the event are $75 per person and are available from the online ticket site Zeffy here, the Lions Club Facebook page, or by calling Lion Lori Dziuba at 203.494.6753.

Tickets must be purchased by May 7.

About the Lions Club

At the height of the “Beerfest” days, the Branford Lions had over 100 members. Currently the club is one of the strongest Lions Clubs in Connecticut, with 55 members.

The club meets from September through June, with most dinner meetings held at La Luna Ristorante on the first Monday each month.