The Janesville Lions Club uses its annual Rose Sale, Blueberry Sale, and Chicken Roast fundraisers to generate project funds to support community projects, including:
Lions Beach
- Donated this facility to the City of Janesville and we continue to fund improvements.
- Contributed funds to build the bathhouse (1950).
- Our club, as a part of its Centennial Community Legacy Project in 2017, repainted the facility’s three beach shelters, its concrete play items, and purchased additional shade-creating shelters.
- In honor of our club’s 100th anniversary, in May 2023 we raised more than $125,000 for improvements to Lions Beach. The centerpiece of our efforts was the installation of a large pavilion in cooperation with the City of Janesville Parks Department. The 30-foot by 30-foot hexagon pavilion, which is available to groups to rent from the City of Janesville and able to be used by all parkgoers when not reserved, features a two-tier roof, electrical service, LED lighting, and a tongue & groove pine ceiling. A concrete path extends from the existing sidewalk to the pavilion, providing easy access to those who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.
Hedberg Public Library
- Donated funds toward the library’s building expansion and services for people with vision impairments
- Raised money, helped plan, build, and maintain Library Park (located between the library building and the Rock River)
Monterey Stadium
- Contributed money to the renovation
Traxler Park
- Donated 29 acres to the City of Janesville to establish park (1929)
- Constructed the pavilion
- Donated funds for new lighting and flooring inside the pavilion kitchen (2024)
Janesville Youth Sports Complex
- Donated funds to “adopt” a field
Walt Lindemann Sportsman’s Park
- Constructed a shelter in the park
Janesville Schools’ Outdoor Lab
- Built an open-air pavilion that serves every student in Janesville (1969)
- Enclosed the JSOL pavilion (1971)
Veteran’s War Memorial
- Built the Doughboy statue (pictured at top of page)
Additional Projects
In addition to these landmarks, the Janesville Lions Club contributed time and funds to:
- Transport eye tissue to and from Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin
- Eyeglass & hearing aid recycling program
- Diabetes awareness and partnering on A1C screening events
- Salvation Army bell-ringing campaigns
- Coordinated welcome signs for the City of Janesville
- Downtown Janesville Riverfront project
- Sponsor for the Walk To Defeat ALS
- Sponsoring Leo Clubs (Youth service organizations at Craig High School & the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired)