Aledo Lions honor McLain at annual dinner

Charlie McLain

The Aledo Lions Club paid homage to deceased member Charlie McLain at its annual Charity Dinner on Tuesday, March 28, at the Don Daniel Ninth Grade Campus cafeteria.

“We came in here this evening and many of us noticed that someone's missing; someone's not here that's been here before — a glad hand, a smile, a greeting at the door and a welcome,” Bob Carlson, past president of the club, said to the people at the dinner. “We missed that this evening but it's wonderful that this person has made it his business over the years, and had been many years to see that people in the community get together and support our Lions Club.”

Carlson was referring to Charlie McLain, who joined the club in 1977 and passed away on Oct. 19.

“He had 45 years of service in the Lions organization. And Charlie's passion really was to serve the youth of the community,” Carlson said. “He was invigorated, he saw their willingness to serve, he saw their eagerness. And at the same time, Charlie was only too happy to teach them skills and to give up his wit and wisdom - and that he offered freely to anybody who would listen.”

During his time as a Lion, McLain received the Lions District 2-E2 Grass Roots award. He had also served as president of the club.

“He shared his talent, his time, his wisdom. He volunteered, emblematic I should say of our lives,” Carlson added. “Charlie did serve. He was respected by the youth. And he taught them the life skills that they might not otherwise have gotten, so if  you have a glass let's raise it to Charlie McLane.”

Lions Club President Russell Green recalled that Charlie nixed a change of meeting nights to Wednesdays for the club.

“And the reason for it was because he was still involved with Bible study at the Methodist Church on Wednesday nights and it was very important to him.”

The Charity Dinner was the 28th such event for the local club, which uses funds raised at the event to provide scholarships and services to local students. The club recently purchased equipment (and volunteers) to test the eyesight of students in the Aledo ISD, and identified those who needed vision correction.

The highlight of the event is the drawing of prizes, which included fishing gear, big-screen televisions, and a choice of a golf cart or $10,000 cash.