The Lions Club hosts its 46th annual barbecue chicken meal fundraiser on Saturday, May 15 at Fort Payne City Park from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Donations are $8.00 per ticket. Plates include one chicken half with slaw, beans, bread and a dessert.
Lions Club Secretary Douglas Walker said tickets can be purchased at the First Fidelity Bank or DeKalb Sportsman in Fort Payne or from any Lions Club member, but walk-ups or presold plates are the same price at $8 a plate.
Prepaid plates can be picked up at Fort Payne City Park between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The club sells anywhere from 1,000-1,500 chicken halves every year at this event, and the money collected goes directly toward funding large club projects.
“We’re all about sight conservation, helping people with eyesight. We also send children with diabetes to a special camp for diabetic children every summer,” Walker said. “The majority of funds we raise goes toward sending children to the eye doctor and purchasing eyeglasses for children in the area who can not afford those services.”
Among their many club projects, Walker said the Lions Club raises money for the Alabama Lions Sight and the Callahan Eye Clinic in Birmingham, and some goes to help send kids to Camp Seale Harris, as well.
“We are sending one, hopefully two, diabetic children to summer camp this year,” Walker said. “We couldn’t send anyone last year because of the virus.”
Walker said the barbecue chicken is prepared by the Lions Club members and other volunteers.
The members work from vast cinderblock pits, which hold more than 50 bags of charcoal. They also have members working the trailers and the BBQ Smoker during the process. The chickens cook for hours before being loaded into boxes with slaw, beans, bread, and a dessert.
Hosting the barbecue chicken dinner is one of this group’s largest fundraisers.
At the last club meeting, Walker said they awarded two $1,000 scholarships to two seniors at the local high school.
“We are helping our own community,” said Walker. “That’s what our fundraiser is all about helping with eyesight and helping the community.”
For more information, you can visit the Lions Club Facebook page or Lions Club Secretary Douglas Walker at 256-997-7305.
