Newfield Lions Club looks ahead to 2023 events

As this year comes to a close, Newfield Lions Club is looking ahead to the new year, with various events scheduled for the upcoming months.

The local club donates to house fire victims, helps community members who need glasses and has a scholarship at Newfield Central School District. The vision screening in particular has proven to be helpful for students in the community.

“We do a vision screening at the school in November,” the Newfield Lions Club secretary said. “This year, we screened (with parents permission) 73 children and needed to refer 11 of them to have further testing with a doctor.”

As far as upcoming events, Newfield Lions Club will be hosting a chicken and biscuit dinner on Jan. 14, a pork loin dinner on Feb. 18 and a St. Patty’s dinner with a silent auction in March. A basket raffle is slated for spring.

All events will be held at the Newfield Fire Hall. The club also raises funds through other measures.

“We sell brooms, as do most Lions Clubs, and Texas Roadhouse gift cards in which we get a small percentage back,” the secretary said. “We also do a dine-to-donate function at Texas Roadhouse four times a year. If folks mention they are there for the Lions, we get 10% back from whatever their check amounted to.”

In the summer, the club will sell food, like hot sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs and Philly cheesesteaks at Old Home Days in Newfield, held in July (tinyurl.com/2pwf38f4).

At the year’s close, the Newfield Lions Club decides where they want their leftover funds to be donated.

The club says it’s looking for new members and asks that they attend meetings when they can and help out where needed at functions. Assisting community members is just one perk of joining the Newfield Lions Club.

“The benefits from being a Lion are just being able to help folks and we do have a lot of fun in the process. We welcome anyone that would like to join us,” the secretary said.

Currently, there are annual dues of $63 plus an entrance fee of $35. The club pays the entrance fees and only charges members $40 a year, and the money goes to Lions International and the NY and Bermuda district M20.

‘Walk in the Park’ episode dedicated to local environmental activist 

An recent episode of “Walk in the Park” (#258) was dedicated to Becca Harber of Newfield, who passed away unexpectedly last month. An expert in herbal medicine, Harber helped many people with health problems. Harber sold herbal-medicinal tinctures at GreenStar Food Co+op in Ithaca, which were known and used by many, said Tony Ingraham, a friend of Harber and host of the weekly half-hour public access TV series.

In the “Walk in the Park” episode, Ingraham said Harber was an “excellent naturalist,” appreciating nature, birds, wildflowers and trees. The two would partake in many walks over the years, sharing their love of the environment.

“Becca was also a poet, musician and a songwriter,” Ingraham said in the episode, noting that she was also a great friend.

The environmental educator and environmental activist made music videos about the natural world, including a song called “Great Oaks of Taughannock.” The episode includes three of Harber’s original songs, two of which were recorded in local state parks.

In the second half of “Walk in the Park,” Sherene Baugher of the Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park shares information on Lucifer Falls.

Newfield Notes appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

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People’s Baptist Church Holding CARE Meal for Williamson Family

An event will be held on Dec. 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the People’s Baptist Church to assist a family in the community.

The event, co-sponsored by Newfield Community Good Neighbor Fund and People’s Baptist Church, will raise money to go to Ed and Lori Williamson, who lost their home in a fire on Nov. 12.

A menu will include lasagna, salad, beverage and dessert, and both eat-in or take-out are available.