SOUTH OLDHAM LIONS CLUB​

South Oldham County is generally considered to include the small communities of Crestwood, Brownsboro, Pewee Valley, Buckner and LaGrange, including all the beautiful rolling hills and farmlands making up the highlands south of the Ohio River.  South Oldham is just east of Louisville and Jefferson County, the largest metropolitan areas in Kentucky.

The South Oldham Lions Club was chartered on March 25, 1948 as an outgrowth of the South Oldham Community Association.  We helped raise funds to build the first gymnasium in Oldham County at an elementary school. From these simple beginnings, the spirit of community betterment, cooperation, and dedication to the common good has carried forward and evolved into our club, which has always retained its local roots.  

One of our first major community projects was the establishment of the South Oldham Fire Department, and providing funds to help purchase a Rescue Truck and sponsoring the Rescue Squads of Kentucky. From this effort evolved a much needed and very efficient system of emergency medical service that has spread over the county and state. 

Another early project was to organize a clean public water system to serve the largely rural community In the 1950's and 60’s.  The Club leaders helped form and operate the initial Oldham County Water District to raise start up funding for Oldham Water District #1 that finally brought clean public water system from deep wells to parts of our county once the club had signed up the needed number of customers (600+) to make the project economically feasible . 

When a sidewalk was needed between Crestwood and Pewee Valley to allow safe foot and bicycle traffic next to LaGrange Road (Highway 146), the Club raised money by selling brass nameplates for sidewalk sections, and actually constructed the sidewalk with the assistance of .inmates on work release, County Public Works, and the State Highway Department, which was completed in 1986. Thirty years later in 2015, the Lions Club donated additional funds for much needed maintenance and improvement of the sidewalk. .

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When the South Oldham Branch of the Oldham County Library System was opened in the 1990s, the Lions Club initiated a community wide “Bucks for Books” campaign, raising over $6,000 to purchase books and library materials for all the readers and researchers of our community.  We placed a Time Capsule under a monument in the front of the building. In addition, we have helped paint and keep up the property.

The Club supports the South Oldham Little League as a sponsor of the Mets team.  We helped pay for and construct the multipurpose building and the field and the observation tower at the Peggy Baker Park, where many of the Little League ball games can be seen.  

Having been started by Helen Keller, the blind prodigy of the 1920s, the Lions CLub has always had a focus on eyesight. Our Chapter has helped provide eye glasses, eye care, vision screenings, safety programs, sports activities, educational programs related to eye care and vision.  We raised funds to purchase an $8,000 state of the art digital diagnostic camera for testing the eyesight sight of small children for possible referral to an eye specialist, with 4,000 screenings a year and about a 10% referral rate. Early detection is the key to preventing eye disease..  

The Club has always contributed financially to worthy community projects, religious activities, social needs, and environmental concerns. The South Oldham Lions Foundation is a IRC 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for charitable giving purposes. We give to health and safety programs, educational programs, such as Dollars For Scholars," purchase emergency defibrillators for schools, outreach programs, such as pregnancy counseling, food and clothing banks, Big Brother/Big Sisters, ministry services, public parks, and the like. 

We are here to serve the needs of South Oldham County.  The CLub has sponsored the Crestwood Fair for years in conjunction with the City of Crestwood. We have been recognized by State Senator Ernie Harris and for our long history of community service, as well as the Mayors of our cities. We are here to serve the people of South Oldham County and the world.

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