SALEM — The Western Mountain Leo Club held installation of officers and new members at Mt. Abram High School recently. Leo Adviser Janet White started the evening off by welcoming students, parents, friends, Lions members and District Governor Leo Gould.

White said, “The Phillips-Strong Lions Club is very proud of the youth in our community and is especially proud to sponsor the Western Mountain Leo Club.” She gave a brief history of the Lions and Leo clubs.

The Lions clubs were established just under 97 years ago and in 1927 at the convention, Helen Keller challenged a club to be the knights of the blind. The Lions have carried that torch to help the blind, hearing impaired and the life challenged.

The first Leo Club was established in 1957 at a high school in Pennsylvania, when 26 members of the baseball team joined nine other students to start a youth service group. In 1967, the program became an official program of Lions Club International.

The objective is to provide the youth of the world an opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively, as responsible members of the local, national and international community.

More than 6,100 active Leo clubs exist today in 138 countries representing more than 150,000 young adults.

White installed the new members, and Gould installed the new officers: president, Evan Abbott; vice president, Starr Galusha; secretary, Jasmine Hinkley; and treasurer, Jenna Hardy. White said some day they would know what an honor it was to have the district governor at their installation.

The club’s mission is to help fire victims in SAD 58, among other community service projects.

Those who would like to join the Leos or Lions should call White at 639-4130.