It’s that time of year. Yes, it’s when the pollen makes everything yellow. Yes, it’s when the weather can’t make up its mind. Yes, it’s the Masters.
But here in Covington, it’s also time for the Covington Lions Club Annual Chicken BBQ.
This “almost world-famous” barbecue is known for its flavor, but its true purpose goes far beyond a good meal. At its heart, this event is philanthropic.
The Covington Lions Club does many fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for community support initiatives and award local scholarships. (If you haven’t already, stop by Mayfield Ace Hardware and purchase your ticket – arguable the best $13 dinner you can buy this week.)
The Lions Club isn’t alone in its efforts. Civic clubs across Covington work year-round to raise funds that directly benefit the community.
The Rotary Club of Covington might be best known for selling Vidalia Onions but did you know that they also host an annual car show?
The Kiwanis Club of Covington has raffled off Green Eggs and is currently hosting a Honey Baked Ham fundraiser.
While the events may differ, the mission is the same: investing in our community.
Funds raised by our civic clubs support a wide range of causes, including the Empty Stocking Fund, Angel Trees, Miracle League team sponsorships, and partial sponsorship for local third-grader Kennedy Carlock to attend the 2025 Braille Challenge Finals in California.
Among the most impactful contributions made by these clubs are local scholarships.
Each civic club awards at least one local scholarship to graduating seniors from Newton County’s three local high schools. Though the dollar amounts vary, these scholarships represent not only monetary support that college students need but community support that stands behind the dollar.
Every time a civic club awards a scholarship, that recipient is forever connected to their community through the club that supported them.
Margaret Hughes, RN, CCRN (Retired), is a perfect example of that. A recipient of the Covington Lions Club scholarship in 1969, Margaret has written multiple thank you notes to the club over the last 57 years. Her gratitude is genuinely heartfelt.
“I learned at an early age about the awesome impact of the Covington Lions Club on young people,” explained Hughes. “I had wanted to be a nurse as long as I could remember. I was a good student for 12 years, but it would take more than my struggling parents could provide to make further education an option.”
With the help of two local scholarships, Hughes enrolled at the Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1972. After working in Athens for a little over a year, Hughes returned home to take a job at the (then) Newton County Hospital in the “almost brand-new” Intensive Care Unit.
She worked in that same unit in various capacities for the next 44 years.
“I had the most enjoyable and rewarding career I could ever have imagined!” Hughes said. “Thank you to the Covington Lions Club for making my dream a reality. I truly don’t believe the path would have been possible without the initial investment they made in me. My Lions scholarship would be considered a small amount of money today; however, it was a huge blessing to me.”
So the next time you see a Facebook Post about a Kiwanis fundraiser or a flyer for the Rotary Car Show, take a moment to consider how you can support these efforts. Buy that bag of onions. Purchase that raffle ticket. And, of course, make plans to attend the Covington Lions Club Chicken BBQ this Wednesday.
Through continued community support, our civic clubs can keep making a meaningful difference, especially for our future generations. After all, a little money can go a long way to truly impact the lives of others.
Hosanna Fletcher believes in the power of community and has worked in nonprofits, government, and for-profits serving the community for the last 20 years. She is a full-time faculty member at Georgia State University teaching on the Newton campus and online. She also works with the Giving Hands Food Pantry on Community Outreach. To reach Hosanna about volunteering with or donating to the Food Pantry, please email community@covingtonfirst.org.
