Lakeside Community Club notches another milestone
Lakeside area women gathered in celebration of the Lakeside Community Club’s 110th anniversary on Wednesday.
A group of women living in the small community of Lakeside established the club in May 1909 after deciding they needed a way to socialize and contribute to the growth of their town.
The nonprofit organization, originally called the Lakeside Ladies Club, has grown from a handful of members to around 160 ladies who continue to meet every month.
Averaging around $30,000 in fundraising each year, the club works toward the mission of supporting various civil projects, emergency services and organizations, as they have for the last 110 years.
Through the decades the group has aided in the completion of projects such as Rails to Trails and donated nearly $1 million to the community since its beginning.
Today the club benefits organizations including West Shore Food Bank, Lakeside Quick Response Unit, School District 29, Hope Pregnancy Ministries, ALERT and more.
The gathering held at Vista Linda in Somers on Wednesday brought together six past presidents who reminisced about their time in office and shared their memories from years past.
Former president Jane Bennett recalled the hard work each generation of club members has put into their largest fundraiser of the year — the annual Lakeside Community Fair.
The locations have changed over the years and the amount of money raised has increased from $3,000 in the first year to nearly 10 times that today.
“The harder you work together, the better to get to know people,” Bennett said.
Members recalled years of homemade peanut brittle, meals delivered to sick friends and neighbors, fun-filled fashion shows and friendships.
The club has held onto the same motto adopted in 1909 — “Loyalty in everything.” With that motto in mind, members faithfully gather every month to share good news, hardships and endless laughs.
“It’s a wonderful place to make new friends,” said former president Joyce Greve.
For more information about the Lakeside Community Club, visit https://lakesidecommunityclub.wildapricot.org/.
Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.