The Dalles Lions Club Celebrates 100 Years of Service with Community Picnic and Family Fun Day

Jul 14

Written By Columbia Community Connection

Our raffle basket winner with our Lions. Left to Right, Lion Kris Harmon, Lion Nancy Cain, Lion Logan Cain, our winner of the basket, Lion Nancy Marvel, Lion Rena Hunley, Lion Carolyn Layson

From The Dalles Lion Club:

By Jen Zimmerlee

The Dalles, Ore., July 14, 2026 — The Dalles Lions Club celebrated its Centennial Anniversary by hosting a free community hot dog lunch and family fun day at the Sorosis Park Lions Picnic Shelter. Despite windy conditions, more than 200 community members gathered on a beautiful summer day to celebrate 100 years of Lions service in The Dalles.

District Governor Tim McGlothlin takes a photo of two attendees in front of the photo back drop.

More than 25 Lions members volunteered throughout the event, welcoming families and community members for an afternoon filled with food, games, activities, and raffle prizes. Children and adults alike enjoyed a variety of activities, including a bubble station, ring toss, sack races, cornhole, rock painting, a photo station, and colorful sensory sand.

Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation had a booth to educate about their programs and the importance of vision screening.

OLSHF Lead Screening Events & Development Coordinator, Brad King and his wife teaching people about the importance of sight screenings.

The event was designed as a thank-you to the community that has supported the club for a century.

The event was made possible through the generosity of numerous local sponsors and donors. The Dalles Lions Club extends its sincere appreciation to Bohn's Printing, North Wasco County PUD, The Dalles Disposal, H2O Oregon, NW Natural, Zims, Papa Murphy's, Casa El Mirador, Spooky's, and Cousins for their support and contributions to the celebration and raffle baskets.

"It was important to give back to our community that has given us so much," said incoming Lions Club President Carolyn Layson. "We had such a good time, we might need to make this an annual event."

Lion Chris Roth shows off his bubble skills

The day's festivities were a hit not only with attendees but also with Lions members themselves.

"Couldn't have gone any better for the first time... next year will be bigger and better," said Lion Rena Hunley, New Member Chair.

Founded in 1926, The Dalles Lions Club has proudly served the community for 100 years through volunteer service, vision and hearing programs, youth support, scholarships, community projects, and countless acts of service. Today, with approximately 80 members, The Dalles Lions Club remains one of the largest and most active Lions clubs in Oregon.

Throughout its Centennial year, the club has hosted several special events to celebrate its history while continuing its mission of service. Wearing their signature red tie-dye Centennial shirts, Lions members continue to find joy in making

The Dalles and Wasco County a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Lion Rena Hunley and Lion Jim Bishop share a conversation behind the raffle baskets at the The Dalles Lions Information Table

The Dalles Lions Club thanks everyone who attended the Centennial celebration and helped make the event a success. As the club looks toward its next century of service, members are already excited about future opportunities to bring the community together.

"We can't wait to see everyone again next year as we begin our next 100 years of serving The Dalles."

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About The Dalles Lions Club

The Dalles Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service organization. For 100 years, The Dalles Lions Club has been dedicated to serving local communities through volunteerism, vision and hearing initiatives, youth programs, scholarships, community projects, and humanitarian service.