Haxtun Lions Club annual event set for April 9

After a two-year hiatus due to the recent pandemic, the Haxtun Lion's Club Chuckwagon Dinner and Show is back featuring entertainment by Orion and Stacey Potter. The 47th event is slated for Saturday, April 9 at Haxtun Schools. Dinner kicks off at 5:30 in the grade school cafeteria followed by the show at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

The first Lions Club Chuckwagon took place in 1974; the Club then under the direction of President Van Liufau. According to Club history compiled by Wilbur Kipp, the first Chuckwagon hosted the Feedlot Four from Fort Collins who entertained for a crowd of 800 people. The event raised over $1,000, most of which was donated to purchase chairs for the Haxtun Community Center. At that time, the Haxtun Lions Club boasted 43 members including Kipp who served as a District Governor.

Traditionally, proceeds from the annual Chuckwagon Dinner and Show benefit community and other local projects. In the past, Lions Club members have donated or helped fund things such as efforts to construct a new swimming pool, eye glasses and eye examinations, eye sight screening machines for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Old-Fashioned Saturday Night, boys and girls state, Haxtun Schools auditory room, tables and chairs, Haxtun Schools art and music programs and local scholarships ... just to name a few. The event has also benefited the local daycare, special Olympics, Haxtun Police Department and Haxtun Care Cancer Fund.

While the Club has not yet specified a home for funds raised at this year's event, member Carl Wilcox said they will benefit the Haxtun community.

"The Lions motto is 'We Serve," wherever there is a need we in Haxtun and Lions world-wide are there," Wilcox said.

Other donations have included to victims of the recent Boulder County fire, Relays for Life, Northeast Colorado Diabetes Awareness run/walk and the 9Health Fair.

This year's entertainment, Orion and Stacey Potter, have been charming audiences with their voices and dynamic performances for close to a decade. The duo met in 2000, married three years later and have been performing around the Nation since 2009. The couple make their home in the Black Hills of South Dakota but travel all over performing for audiences together.

From Johnny Cash to Patsy Cline, The Shirelles to Elvis, and Peggy Lee to Frank Sinatra, their performances cover multiple genres that keep the audience clapping and tapping their toes.

Tickets will be available at the door on Saturday, April 9 or may be purchased before hand from any local Lions Club member individually or in Trail Boss packets of 10.