Issue date: 7/19/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Spencer Selvidge Noon Lions Club member and Class of 1972 Gib Sautelle, chops a watermelon with a machete at the Fourth of July celebration at the George Bush Presidential Library. The watermelon was given out for free and Sautelle encouraged anyone who walked by to get some fresh cut fruit. [Click to enlarge]

The Aggieland Lions Club will return in the fall for another year of demanding but rewarding volunteer work.

The club is part of the Lions Club International organization and the team has done both fundraising events and service projects, Aggieland Lions Club President Jared Bittlebrun said.

The club puts numerous hours into community service projects traveling to places in Texas such as Kerrville and Navasota and meeting children with physical handicaps and diabetes.

In April, the organization volunteered at an equestrian Special Olympics for children. The Aggies helped by walking next to the horses while the children enjoyed riding horses.

"You don't always feel like getting up for an 8 a.m. service project," Bittlebrun said. But, he said, the reward is far greater than those small sacrifices.

The Aggieland Lions Club has volunteered to work with the College Station Lions Club for several fundraising projects which included the Christmas tree sales in December as well as the Lions Club International Fourth of July Bash at the George Bush Presidential Library.

Secretary of the College Station Noon Lions Club Michael Bolton said the group focuses on two areas of volunteer work: helping those with blindness and sponsoring children with disabilities to go to a summer camp.

Bolton, who has been a part of the Lions Club since 1990, said the members of the College Station club come from all walks of life.

"You have people employed by A&M, both faculty and staff, bankers, lawyers, retired individuals and men and women of all ages," he said.

"These are people who like to get involved, to get out of the house, work on service projects and participate," Bolton said.

A member since his freshman year, Bittlebrun said that it's kind of overwhelming now as president, but the meetings with the organization provide some relief from the day.

Bittlebrun said the club members have attended graduation ceremonies and they would look into the faces of some of the children they have helped and they just tell you "Thank you."

"It does impact you," he said.

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