What a great parade!! Thank you to all that participated or came to help celebrate. Also thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the parade happen!!
Many more pictures are available at the following:
2024 Independence Day Parade | Flickr
Video coming soon here and on social media.
Special thanks to all of our sponsors for enabling our community projects with your support.
Click here to see an updated list of Sponsors
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARADE AWARD WINNERS!
Antique/Classic Vehicle: Group: Volkswagen Club - Daniel Salazar
Individual: Firehouse Christmas Lights
Business Entry: 1st Pl - Ol South Pancake House
2nd Pl - Mainstay Farm, Park & Winery
3rd Pl - TIE: Burleson Crowley Farmers Markets & HR Construction
Civic/Non-Profit: Pathway Church
Equestrian: N.A.R.C. & S.P - Nat’l Assoc. of Riding Clubs & Sheriff’s Posse
Individual: Pure International Pageant
Club/Multivehicle: TIE: Texas Made Jeep Club & the Moslah Motor Corp.
Military: TIE: Arrowhead Chapter/Military Vehicle Preservation Assoc.
& the 45th Infinitry Division; WWII Living Historians
Pets: Top Dog Texas
School Group: Burleson & Centennial High School FFA
Sport Entry: Coerver Soccer
BEST FLOAT: 1st Place: Pathway Church
2nd Place: Cooter Browns
3rd Place: Ol South Pancake House
1945 2024
GET TO KNOW OUR 2024 PARADE GRAND MARSHAL! WORLD WAR II VETERAN RAY BYRAM!!
Ray was born on June 3rd, 1922. He spent his formative years in the Texas Panhandle.
Ray was drafted into the US Army in November 1942, at the age of 20. He officially entered the Army in January 1943 through the recruiting depot in Lubbock, TX. Ray served in the 782nd Tank Battalion as a Jeep driver for the duration of his military career.
During his training, Ray gained the nickname "Smilin' Jack" from his commanding officers. No amount of punishment would ever make him stop smiling. He always smiled and that's how everyone knew him. Nobody really knew his name, just Smilin' Jack!
Ray trained at Ft. Sill, OK; Camp Campbell, KY; Fort Knox, KY; Camp Cook, CA; and Point Loma, CA; He departed for his overseas duties from Ft. Bragg, NC, through New York City to Le Harve France aboard the USS Henry Gibbons in January 1945. The last thing Ray recalls seeing when he was leaving on the ship was the Statue of Liberty as they left the harbor. The trip to Le Harve, France took 17 days.
Ray's overseas service took him through France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia during WWII.
Ray returned to the United States through Le Harve, France in June 1945. The return trip only took six days.
Ray was discharged as a Corporal on the 21st of January 1946.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, RAY!!!
CONGRATULATIONS BILLY AYARS!!
Billy was recently recognized as Lion of the Year for the Burleson Lions Club. Bill has very humbly served this club for many years. He is always the first to step forward for countless projects, community service needs, and tons of small detail items without regard for praise or notoriety. Our club is Extremely lucky to have you and your dedication to Service to Others. You exemplify the Lions motto "WE SERVE"!!!
Please help welcome the new slate of Officers & Board members for the Burleson Lions Club 2024-2-25! Click here to see the list of new officers
We all want to give a huge THANK YOU to Blair Lybbert, our outgoing club President! Our club accomplished a lot the past year under your leadership!! We will work to continue the progress made during your term.
The Burleson Lions Club recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to three exceptional graduating Seniors in the Burleson area. Congratulations to the scholarship recipients for 2024:
Izabella Howell, BHS
Jackson Blanchard, BHS
Nathanael Nakamura, Centennial
Thank you to all students who applied for our annual scholarships, and Best of Luck to all Graduating Seniors in our community! You all make us proud!
Each year the Burleson Lions Club awards scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to deserving high school seniors attending any of the following schools: Burleson High School; Centennial High School; Crossroads High School; Burleson Collegiate High School; Game Development and Design School; or any private school or homeschool within the Burleson ISD district. Awards are based on a demonstration of the importance of community service, volunteer experiences, academic effort, and school and community involvement.
Burleson Lions Support BTX Honey Tour 
The Burleson Lions Club was in charge of Rest Stop #5 at the 2024 Honey Tour Bike Ride. Our stop saw a lot of riders working on completing the 46 mi and 67 mi routes. We had a great time supporting the event, the community, and all the riders!!
Burleson Lions Club Honored with 2023 Non-Profit of the Year by the Burleson Chamber of Commerce!
Congratulations and Thank You to all Burleson Lions and Volunteers who perform the many service projects that support the Burleson community being recognized by this award!! Also Thank You to our club sponsors whose support enables our Club to be of service to the community! Pictured are Burleson Lions Club President Blair Lybbert and Lion Bob Wolfe accepting the award at the Burleson Chamber Wild West Gala on 5 April 2024.
EYE GLASS DONATIONS - THANK YOU, BURLESON!
The Burleson Lions Club collected over 4000 used eyeglasses that were donated by the Burleson community over the past year. Recently those eyeglasses were delivered to the Lions District 2E2 Eyeglass Recycling Center. There those glasses will be sorted and be delivered to those in need throughout the world or sent to a larger recycling center for further sorting and distribution for reuse. THANK YOU to the Burleson community for your thoughtful donations of your used eyeglasses to help others!!
VISION AND HEARING SCREENINGS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
The Burleson Lions Club conducted vision screenings and hearing screenings in the Burleson Public schools, Holy Cross Christian Academy, Burleson Child Development Centers, the Home School Co-op at Burleson Church of Christ, and Keene Elementary School during October and November. This annual community service is a key focus for the Burleson Lions in support of our overall commitment to serve the Burleson area. Our support is also a key assist to school nurses in meeting the Texas state requirements for vision and hearing screenings. WE SERVE!!
This year (2023), 4421 students were screened for both vision and hearing, and 622 referrals for professional eye exams were made. In 2022, 4,110 students were screened and 541 referrals for professional eye exams were made. Families who could not afford the exam and glasses were provided this exam and glasses at no charge. The Burleson Lions Club members volunteered 642 hours in 2023 and 600 hours in 2022 for this worthy endeavor.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The Burleson Lions Club participated in Burleson Founders Day 2023. Several Lions met with Founders Day attendees and provided information on the Lions Club and our service in the Burleson community. Shown here are Lions Blair Lybbert and Stuart Gillaspie.
The Burleson Lions Club attended the Burleson Chamber of Commerce Winter Luncheon on January 18, 2024. Over 20 organizations were in attendance, each communicating their community involvement. Pictured here is Lion Vaughn Schlegel manning the Burleson Lions Club table.
We had a nice turnout at the Library Great Give Back event on February 3, 2024. Lions Billy, Vaughn, Les, and Blair manned the table while Lion Michael roamed the room. There was a decent turn out of citizens and number of civic/service organizations represented. We talked to a lot of people and shared the Burleson Lions Club story.
Meals
on Wheels is an avenue in which the Burleson Lions Club shares with our
community. Each week one or more of our members partners with Meals on
Wheels to provide a meal to members of our community and at the same
time makes contact with these people for whom it is more difficult to
be out and about. Lions Bill and Gloria Ayars are shown here delivering a meal.
Burleson Lions Club Independence Day Parade 2023
Parade photos: Click here
More Parade photos: Click here
Upcoming events
|