Lions Club to hold state convention here

Representatives from across Idaho and eastern Oregon will gather in Mountain Home later this week during the Lions Club's annual state convention.

The event marks the first time in 36 years that Mountain Home will host this state-level event, said Dennis Burks, a spokesman with the Mountain Home chapter.

With 85 people already signed up, organizers expect the convention will bring together more than 100 Lions Club representatives.

"This is a big deal for us because we get to showcase the city and Mountain Home Air Force Base" to these visitors, Burks said.

In addition, the convention gives the local Lions Club a chance to share its efforts to promote its programs aimed at providing eyesight and hearing services for people here as well as its other civic outreach efforts. With 105 registered members, Mountain Home remains the state's largest Lions Club chapter, Burks said.

This year's convention begins Friday with a visit to Mountain Home Air Force Base. It continues that evening at the Hampton Inn with an international food and beverage festival.

The actual convention continues on Saturday at the local hotel. Larry Dicus, international director for the Lions Club in Los Angeles, will serve as the guest speaker.

Breakout sessions during the day will highlight various programs offered by the Lions Club. The Mountain Home chapter is expected to highlight the efforts its uses to encourage people to join the club here.

This year's Idaho convention coincides with the state's largest gathering of motivational speakers. Mountain Home High School is expected to host more than 500 students representing 24 schools across southern Idaho during this year's U-Bus-2-Us speech and debate tournament, which begins here Friday afternoon.

This year's event is expected to shatter a record set in 2012 when students from 22 schools attended the tournament. (See story page A-6).

Both events are expected to have a positive and significant impact on the local economy, said Paula Riggs, director of the city's economic development office.

"These are great events for our community," Riggs said. In addition to providing hotel accommodations for these guests, they will spend their time shopping in local shops and stores and eating at restaurants across the city.