Monday, February 10, 2025
The Baldwin Lions Club, in collaboration with the Massapequa and Levittown Lions, will host a Stand-Up Comedy Fundraiser next month, the Baldwin club’s first money-raising event of the year.
It will take place on Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., at Governor’s Comedy Club, at 90 Division Ave. in Levittown. The evening will be particularly significant because it will be the Baldwin Lions’ first fundraising effort, under the leadership of its new president, Naresh Singh, that is a partnership with other Long Island clubs. Singh was named the Herald’s 2024 Person of the Year for his efforts to revive the Baldwin club last year, which had been dormant for several years before his involvement.
For $25, attendees will enjoy an evening of laughter and also have the chance to win gift basket raffles. The funds raised will be distributed among the three participating clubs to benefit their communities, and Singh emphasized that they will be reinvested locally, supporting ongoing club projects and community-service initiatives.
The idea for the collaboration came from Massapequa Lions members Sharon Wozniak and Sue Piccolo, who approached Singh about joining forces for this year’s event. The Massapequa club has served as a Guiding Lion for Baldwin, a role that involves mentoring a new or struggling club and providing support in areas such as training, recruitment and community outreach.
Last year, the Massapequa Lions joined forces with the Long Island Pride Lions Club, a club that addresses the needs within Long Island LGBTQ+ community, to host a similar comedy night fundraiser at Governor’s, which raised money for causes including suicide prevention, childhood cancer research and support for homeless veterans. More than 180 people attended the event, which featured over an hour of comedy, as well as awards and raffle prizes.
“We’re always open to trying new things,” Singh said, reflecting on the success of previous fundraisers. “If it’s something that’s worked well in the past, we’re happy to partner.”
Each of the three clubs plans to sell 100 tickets for the event. As of press time, Baldwin members had sold roughly half of their total.
Since Baldwin’s revitalization under Singh’s leadership last March, the club has hosted several fundraisers. The first was held at Baldwin Coach Diner on March 2, dubbed Burgers and Basket, where the club also meets on the third Thursday of each month. Additional efforts have included cleaning up the Baldwin Long Island Rail Road station and planting flowers in local public spaces.
Singh teased the possibility of using funds raised at next month’s event to support scholarships for local students, as well as other community service initiatives, depending on how much money is raised. While the specifics are yet to be determined, he emphasized the importance of reinvesting funds in the community.
One thing Singh is certain about, however, is that the Baldwin Lions will continue to seek out partnerships with other clubs, locally and across Long Island. “That’s the beauty of Lions International,” he said. “We stand together and help each other.”
