Formed in November of 1954 by a group of service-minded people from the Andover community, the Andover Lions Club was officially chartered by Lions Clubs International in March of 1955. The mission of the organization is to provide assistance to people in need and specifically those who are visually or hearing-impaired.

In the 56 years of the club’s history, members have been active in sponsoring projects that benefit the community and improve the lives of those citizens in need in Andover as well as in Danbury, Salisbury, and Wilmot. Eye care and hearing aids have been provided to hundreds of people in the area. In addition, help is given in the form of scholarships, emergency funding, and sponsorship of the Andover Food Pantry. The Andover Lions Club is an early supporter of Operation Kidsight, a program that uses special cameras to screen children between the ages of one and six years for amblyopia. For the older grade-school children, the club members offer sight and hearing testing at the Andover and Danbury schools. The Andover Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are sponsored by the Andover Lions.

Raising funds has consisted of calendar raffle sales, rose sales, basketball tournaments for middle school children, a Fourth of July pancake breakfast and food concession on the Green, and Concord Coach rides and displays. These funds are used to provide three higher-education scholarships of $500 each. They also support several Lion-sponsored activities including Vision Weekend, the Sight and Hearing Foundation, and Brain Trauma, a camp for handicapped and underprivileged children. Funds also support  local activities such as the Andover ball field, Spaulding Youth, Andover Boys Scouts, and the Andover Food Pantry. The Andover Lions meet every second and fourth Monday at 6 PM at Naughty Nellies. The Andover Lions Club continues to strive for better service to the community and welcomes new members.  If interested, please call 735-6140 or 768-5543.