Lions Clubs International will be celebrating their centennial year this year.

100 years of service, community giving, meeting humanitarian needs, and encouraging peace are all part of the Lions mandate.

Past Cochrane Lions President  and Council Chair for Lions Alberta, Tim Haight, says our local chapter will be celebrating as well, and has events in the works.

"This year is the 100th year Lions Club International has been in existence, our major convention will start on the first of July 2017, same day that Canada celebrates 150 years of existence. We are tying to make a big party."

On a local level the rodeo of course is the Lions signature event and Haight says around town Labour Day weekend is known as rodeo weekend.

"When I moved to Cochrane my first Labour Day weekend, I tried to figure out why there wasn't really a Labour Day weekend because everyone referred to it as the rodeo weekend. After joining the club, I quickly discovered  there is no such thing as Labour Day in Cochrane, it is rodeo weekend."

The Lions rodeo brings some big money into the community of Cochrane, shares Haight.

"We are bringing I am guessing, probably around $12 million worth of business into the town that is tied into the rodeo and the other events that occur."

Cochrane's local service club is moving into year 53, and has roughly 36 members. Bringing on younger, active members is important to the chapters longevity.

"Younger members are quite critical, a lot are under the opinion that you have to attend all these meetings and do all these things, not necessarily so."

Members can sign up under regular membership or as an affiliate member. The group is slowly growing and Haight says new members are always encouraged.

"We invite new members and respective members to come and attend three meetings; so one they get an idea how we work, and two we get an idea how they function as well."

If you would like more information on the Cochrane Lions you will find it here.