Lions Club a leader in community service

The Shafter Lions Club, a key pillar of community service in Shafter, has had a profound impact locally through its dedication to improving the lives of residents and fostering connections across the region. Councilmember Gustavo Olvera, who has served as the club's treasurer since 2022, is a strong advocate for its mission, which focuses on empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully to their communities while promoting goodwill and understanding.

"The mission of the Shafter Lions Club is to empower people to contribute meaningfully to their communities, fostering goodwill and understanding worldwide because it's everywhere, not just in Shafter," Olvera explained.

While the club supports global initiatives such as combating world hunger and childhood cancer, Olvera emphasizes that the core of their work is in the local community. "There is a lot that the Lions Club does around the world, but within our community, it's about promoting fellowship and collaboration for the greater good," he said.

The Lions Club is deeply involved in Shafter, hosting numerous events throughout the year that bring the community together. The Harvest Festival, which attracted over 7,000 people last year, is just one example of the club's success in creating large-scale, highly anticipated events. The Christmas parade continues to grow, and the club also organizes National Night Out, participates in Thankful Thursday (providing food for over 100 families during Thanksgiving), Photos With Santa and the Stuff the Bus campaign before each school year.

Olvera believes these events reflect the community's strong desire to connect and contribute. "It's always for the goodwill of the community and bringing families together. The numbers show that the community wants it and seeks it. When it's there, they want to be a part of it."

He's grateful for President Gilbert Alvarado's leadership. "He's very active and always trying to bring new ideas that unite our community. He's great at introducing innovation and creating things that haven't been done before, like National Night Out and the upcoming National Prayer Dinner. He started the Christmas Parade, and many other events have come to fruition because of his efforts," Olvera said.

In addition to Alvarado's leadership, Olvera emphasizes the hard work of the club's members and the vital support of local businesses. "We have an incredible group of members who work hard to volunteer their time. If we didn't have the great group of people we have, we wouldn't be able to do everything we do. Our partnership with local businesses has also been crucial to the success of the Lions Club. We wouldn't be able to have some of our events without their support."

One of the aspects Olvera is most proud of is the club's commitment to helping local youth through scholarships and providing opportunities for personal growth. "The ability to give opportunities to our students to see the world, help them with their development, inspire them to have goals and strive to be better people gives me satisfaction," he said. The club raises funds for these scholarships through events like their fireworks stand, which is supported by the local community.

The club meets twice a month at the Veterans Hall for dinner, and Olvera invites anyone interested in making a difference to join. "Come out, join us and see that what we do is great for the community. The more help we have, the more we can do," he concluded.