Tom Shaner

Behind the scenes of daily life and unbeknownst to some are the men and women of the local community who pour out their lives to come to the aid of others. They do this through various community service based programs such as the Lions Club. The Vandergrift Lions Club has been serving the area since it began in May of 1940 and then chartered the following month.

The Lions Club is a service-oriented organization which is dedicated to community service and improvement. They support the local community as well as provide financial support nationally and internationally. Some of the programs they support are service to the blind, disaster relief, aid to hospitals, clinics, playgrounds, and parks. They also award a student scholarship each month in the amount of $500.

Thomas Shaner, current president, will be ending his one-year term mid June. Each member of the Lions club is given an opportunity to serve one year as president. Vice President Brian Putignano will be taking Thomas' place as president in June. Thomas stated that the four years that he has spent as part of the Lions has been very rewarding. Besides being a wonderful group of people to work along side, the organization gives him a great sense of accomplishment.

The club has been very active in raising money for the community and then distributing it to needy causes. They collect eyeglasses at four locations in Vandergrift to be reused and hold fundraisers to support other programs. Throughout the year they hold a calendar sale, broom sale, mint sale, and car show to raise money. They also collect old medical equipment such as walkers, hospital beds, and crutches, and loan it out to the elderly or to those with medical needs.

Their last big project was the building of the pavilion at Kennedy Park, which is available to be rented out during the summer. The Vandergrift Borough and other civic organizations can use the pavilion as well. In the future they would like to expand the pavilion and add an awning to the front of the building. In addition, they are always looking for ways to improve the park. If you would like additional information about the Lions Club, contact Tom Shaner at 724-567-6728.