On June 27, past District Governor George Gillespie had the honor of installing his grandson, Lion Eric Dowdy, as president of the White Sulphur Springs Lions Club.
Dowdy has been involved with Lions since he was a child and helped his grandparents, George and Betty Gillespie, by volunteering with them to help sell raffle tickets, collect eyeglasses, collect for food drives and clean up the highway.
In middle school, he was old enough to join the Leo Club at Eastern Greenbrier Middle School and served as president both there and later on at Greenbrier East High School.
He joined the White Sulphur Springs Lions Club at age 18 and served with them while obtaining his bachelor of science degree and master’s degree in architecture at Fairmont State University.
Dowdy says that although he knew the Lions were very active in the community, it wasn’t until he attended an international convention that the sheer scope of the Lions’ impact on the world was revealed to him.
He encourages anyone who loves to volunteer to join Lions. The White Sulphur Club meets every second and fourth Monday at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 7 p.m. Dowdy can be reached at 304-536-2489.
