Lions Club Annual Scallop Dinner set for Sunday
It’s that time of year when scallop lovers can rejoice in the succulent tastes from the sea that were once almost extinct in Peconic Bay just a few years ago. These special shellfish are back to satisfy the taste buds of those who know that the scallops come from right here on the East End. The Shelter Island Lions Club is prepped for the 64th Annual Scallop Dinner at The Pridwin where the faithful will gather on Sunday, between 5 and 8 p.m. to enjoy this special meal.
The dinner is one of the longest running annual fall traditions on Shelter Island and has raised money to support a host of good causes, including helping to fund construction of the Emergency Medical Services building, improvements to the Tot Lot, contributions to the Haley Sulahian Fund to help cover medical bills and a college scholarship for a wheelchair-bound student. Proceeds in the past have also helped to expand preschool opportunities at the Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center and a host of other good causes.
This year, instead of selecting specific beneficiaries of the profits, the money will go to the Lions Club general fund, according to the organization’s president, Mary-Faith Westervelt. The Lions support many significant efforts throughout the year and the money from the general fund is directed to those causes, she said.
Among the many efforts the Lions have supported through the years are: Lions International Sight First II program, student eye exams and glasses, the Lions Eye Bank for Long Island, support for families for fuel and food, the Shelter Island School Science Fair, the Wes Smith Scholarship Award for two graduates of Shelter Island School, support of the Shelter Island Bucks Collegiate League Baseball Team, the summer basketball programs and Youth Soccer and Little League, Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch, Shelter Island Public Library books in honor of Island newborns, Lions Camp Badger and Vacation Camp for the Blind, the Student Leadership program in Washington, D.C., Special Olympics assisted for a Shelter Island student, the school Drama Club and Shelter Island Early Learning Center.
The Lions’ motto is “We Serve,“ summing up the central purpose of Lions Clubs to “render voluntary service to the community, the nation and the world,” according to the group’s website.
Tickets for the Scallop Dinner are $35 for adults and $15 for youths. They’re available at the Shelter Island Library or by credit card or PayPal on the Lions Club website at shelterislandlions.org.
