The Pitcairn Lions Club began with a small group of men who met weekly in the fall of 1978 at the Borough of Pitcairn Council Chambers above Hose Company #1 on Center Avenue @ Eleanor Street.  Many months went by before there were the required twenty men needed to secure a charter from Lions International.  During the fall of 1978, in an effort to raise funds and make their cause known, the group purchased brooms from the Levelgreen Lions Club to sell in Pitcairn.  With the help of the Levelgreen Lions, District 14-E and District 14-B, Pitcairn eventually fulfilled all the requirements and a new club was born.  More men committed to the cause and on May 5, 1979, twenty-seven charter members and their wives gathered at the Fountain Room on Beulah Road to accept their charter.  The Pitcairn Lions were finally an official club. 

The Pitcairn Lions Club is dedicated to working for the blind and sight-related projects.  The club provides eye care and glasses to the less fortunate, and also participates in numerous community projects.  Since its inception, the Pitcairn Lions Club has undertaken many fund raising projects.  A sampling of the fund raisers are: bag and broom sale, community spaghetti dinner, giant coloring book sale, children’s fun fair, member built and donated doll house for raffle, White Cane Day collections, Entertainment Book sale, Super Bingo, Koeze nut sale, Lion mint sale and the Pitcairn Lions and Monroeville Lions 5K Run for Sight. 

As a result of its fund raising projects since its inception, the Pitcairn Lions Club has donated approximately $150,000.00 to various charities.  Some causes that received contributions or support are: Greater Pittsburgh Guild for the Blind, Pittsburgh Blind Association, Pittsburgh Vision Services, Lions Diabetes Awareness Program, Beacon Lodge, Leader Dog, Medical Eye Bank of Western PA, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Western PA School for the Blind.  

Local causes that have received contributions or support are: eye care and glasses for the less fortunate, Camp B, Camp G, Pitcairn Baseball Association, Midget Football, $1,000 annual scholarship to a local graduating senior, Pitcairn Elementary School, Pitcairn Ambulance Association, Pitcairn Fire Co. No. 1, Pitcairn Relief Fire Co. No. 2, Pittsburgh Blood Bank, Beacon Lodge scholarships for local residents, Pitcairn Elementary School Green Space Project, MTI Screening for preschool children, local response to 1997 Pitcairn Flood, Pitcairn Meals on Wheels, Pitcairn Food Pantry, Lions Park at the West entrance to town, Pitcairn Centennial Celebration, Pitcairn Lions/Community Bulletin Board at the Park Building, and the Pitcairn Old Fashioned Christmas celebration. 

The Pitcairn Lions Club is proudly a part of Lions Clubs International.  The mission statement of Lions Clubs International is “To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation.”  At the end of 2005, Lions Clubs International had over 1,310,000 members in 196 countries around the world. 

Currently the Pitcairn Lions Club has twenty members, and both men and women are invited to join.  If you would like more information please contact any Lion, or call Lion Pat Lorinc at 412-373-3948.