Vernon Hills Lions Club faces decline

VERNON HILLS – For more than 30 years, Gary Zabilka and the Vernon Hills Lions Club have been at the forefront of a crucial community effort: hosting blood drives.

The Lions Club hosts four blood drives each year with Vitalant and has organized more than 125 drives, collecting about 5,000 lifesaving units of blood. This has helped up to 15,000 individuals in need.

However, after decades of service, the club is facing an uncertain future, struggling to recruit new members as its ranks continue to shrink.

Zabilka, a dedicated member of the Vernon Hills Lions Club, has been hosting these lifesaving drives since the early 1990s. For him, the work always has been more than just a commitment – it’s a labor of love.

“I’m astounded,” Zabilka said, reflecting on a recent award he received from Vitalant. “I just received a card saying my donation was just used for a patient. To hear that is amazing. I’m shocked. I’m humbled. Holy cow, that’s a lot of lives saved.”

Zabilka’s commitment, and the dedication of the Lions Club as a whole, has made a profound impact on the community.

Yet despite these impressive achievements, the future of the Vernon Hills Lions Club is in jeopardy.

“We’re having a difficult time recruiting new members,” Zabilka said. “The average age of our club is 60 years or older. A lot of our members are leaving, feeling like it’s somebody else’s turn. We’re worried the club might close soon.”

The Lions Club, known globally for its work with vision and hearing health, is at a crossroads. In its 100-year history, it has served communities worldwide, fulfilling a charge from Helen Keller to promote good eye health and hearing health. Locally, however, the mission has shifted to include the vital blood drives that Zabilka and the other dedicated members have helped host year after year.

Despite these challenges, Zabilka remains hopeful.

“This work makes a difference,” he said. “It’s about saving lives. It’s about giving back to the community. We need people who have a heart for service.”

But with only 18 members, 10 to 12 of whom are actively involved, it’s clear that sustaining the club’s work is becoming increasingly difficult.

A decade ago, the club boasted 35 members, many of whom were active participants in the blood drives and other community initiatives.

The Vernon Hills Lions Club’s struggles are not unique. Across the nation, many Lions Clubs are facing similar issues as they attempt to adapt to changing times. Young people today, Zabilka said, seem to be less inclined to join service organizations such as the Lions.

“They just don’t have the heart for service like past generations,” he said, expressing concern for the future of not only his club but similar organizations everywhere. The Lions Club’s work always has been rooted in community, in making a tangible difference in the lives of others.

As the club grapples with its aging membership and declining volunteerism, the question remains: who will continue the legacy?

As Zabilka and his fellow Lions members continue their efforts, they remain hopeful that more community members will step up and keep the Lions’ mission alive.

“We need volunteers,” Zabilka said. “We can’t do this without new faces and fresh energy. If you care about making a difference in the world, we’d love for you to join us.”

The club’s next blood drive, hosted in partnership with Vitalant, will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at the Sullivan Center Community Room located at 635 Aspen Drive in Vernon Hills. Community members are encouraged to donate and help continue the lifesaving work of the Lions Club.