Austin Founder Lions Club upcoming events

Post-Election Analysis (11/05/2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 17:45:00 GMT

Post-Election Analysis

WHEN: Thursday November 5, 2026 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Drew Scheberle
Introduced by Lion Mark Hastings

We will review national, state, Central Texas, Austin City Council and education results and their implications for Central Texas, with ample time for Q&A.

About our Speaker:

Drew is the Co-Founder and Executive Director for the National Security Innovation Council. NSIC works at the nexus of military mission attraction, connection of national problem owners to Texas problem solvers and partnership with Texas to enhance national security capabilities.

Drew has 25 years of senior and executive level experience at the nexus of economic, military & workforce development. Drew has served as the Executive Director for the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives, Senior Advisor to the Texas Association of Business, 15 years as the SVP at the Austin Chamber of Commerce and as CEO of the National Center for State Scholars, an initiative of President George W. Bush.

He’s led efforts to increase transcontinental air service; pass billions in road mobility and education facility bonds; state legislation to lower property taxes and improve Texas’ economic, human and physical capital competitiveness; conceive and execute initiatives to attract key projects like Army Futures Command, connect veterans to employment, increase regional college attainment rates and worked with 12 state Chambers of Commerce, Governors and higher education leaders to ensure state policies supported widespread completion of a well-rounded academic course of study.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

Judge Elisabeth Earle (11/12/2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 17:45:00 GMT

Judge Elisabeth Earle

WHEN: Thursday November 12, 2026 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Judge Elisabeth Earle
Introduced by Lion Jack Pierce

Judge Elisabeth Earle will reflect on her career as a prosecutor and judge, and will discuss restorative justice and issues pertaining to the criminal court system in Austin.

About our Speaker:

Judge Elisabeth Earle is a lifelong Austinite who grew up in the city, attended Austin public schools, and graduated from the University of Texas. Her early career took her to London with the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and then back home to the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and Governor Ann Richards' Criminal Justice Division. That public service experience led her to law school at St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

She started as a prosecutor in the Travis County Attorney's Office, handling domestic violence cases, and later became a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Austin. In that role she helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court, the first community court in Texas, and served as its first Presiding Judge.

Since 2002, Judge Earle has served on the Travis County Court at Law bench, where she is Presiding Judge. In 2007 she founded the Travis County DWI Court, a treatment-based program that helps people overcome addiction and stay out of the justice system. She considers it one of her proudest accomplishments.

Community service has been a constant in her life. She is a Board Trustee of the Texas Bar Foundation, has led the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas, and has worked with the Salvation Army, Community Action Network, and Volunteer Legal Services of Austin. Her recognitions include the Mothers Against Drunk Driving National President's Award for Criminal Justice and the Travis County Women Lawyers' Pathfinder Award.

She and her husband, Jeff Clark, have two daughters, one a young lawyer in Austin and the other in law school.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest (11/19/2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 17:45:00 GMT

Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest

WHEN: Thursday November 19, 2026 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Lion Ann Teich

This presentation by Lion Ann Teich will highlight the Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest. The Peace Poster Contest is a yearly program to inspire young people to showcase their talent, and to have them share their visions of peace.

About our Speaker:

Ann Hardeman Teich has lived in Austin since 1963 and graduated from Lanier High School in 1970 and Southwestern University in 1974. She attended graduate school in curriculum and instruction at the University of Texas at Austin from 1974-1980. Ann was an Austin ISD middle school English Language Arts teacher for 27 years at Porter Middle School (now the site of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders) and subbed in Austin ISD for 7 years after retiring from full time teaching. She served two terms as an Austin ISD Trustee from 2012-2020, representing District 3 (the Lanier/Navarro Vertical Team) in North Central Austin and also served on the Austin Planning Commission as an ex officio member during that time. She was trained in community organizing by the Industrial Areas Foundation in the 1980s and has served as an officer with the North Austin Civic Association. Ann is currently a community advocate for the Rundberg area of North Central Austin and is a member of the Coalition of North Austin Neighborhoods and the Rundberg Alliance. Ann is married to Randy Teich, Reagan Class of 1971. They have a daughter Lilly, an occupational therapist (McCallum Class of 2003), who has two sons and a son Alex, a CPA (McCallum Class of 2005), who has two daughters, all of whom attend or will attend Austin ISD schools. She has been a member of the Austin Founder Lions Club since 2014.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey, Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

No Meeting: Thanksgiving (11/26/2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 17:45:00 GMT

No Meeting: Thanksgiving

WHEN: Thursday November 26, 2026

The Long Game: What Keeps Restaurants Alive and Well in Communities (12/03/2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 17:45:00 GMT

The Long Game: What Keeps Restaurants Alive & Well in Communities

WHEN: Thursday December 3, 2026 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Chef Jack Gilmour
Introduced by Lion Gaylord Armstrong

Austin's restaurant scene has one of the highest churn rates in the country, with new concepts opening and closing constantly. Jack Gilmore has managed to do the opposite. This year, Jack Allen's Kitchen celebrates 16 years and 6 locations, Salt Traders Coastal Cooking marks 10 years and 2 locations, and his newest concept, Day Maker Half Day Cafe, just passed year two - with Salt Traders and Day Maker both adding new locations in Cedar Park/Leander in mid-2027. Three concepts, three different formats, all still standing and still growing in one of the most competitive restaurant markets in the country.

In this presentation, Jack shares candid, operational lessons from nearly two decades in the business: staffing, real estate, menu economics, what he'd do differently, and what's non-negotiable. It's a practical look at what actually separates a restaurant that survives from one that doesn't. And what convinces an owner to keep building rather than sit still.

About our Speaker:

Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Chef Jack Gilmore is known for his bold, Gulf Coast-inspired cooking and a hospitality style that makes every guest feel like family. Since opening the first Jack Allen's Kitchen in 2009, he's grown the concept to six locations, released the cookbook Jack Allen's Kitchen: Celebrating the Taste of Texas, and cooked at the James Beard House in 2012. He later launched Salt Traders Coastal Cooking (2017, expanded 2019) and Day Maker Half Day Café, his newest concept. Since 2009, Jack and his restaurants have donated over $1 million to local causes, including the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, Coastal Conservation Association, and Central Texas Food Bank. Today, he leads nearly 600 employees across all three concepts - building not just restaurants, but a family rooted in hospitality and community.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

LCIF: Lions Club International Foundation (12/10/2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 17:45:00 GMT

Lions Club International Foundation

WHEN: Thursday December 10, 2026 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Tina Byram
Introduced by Lion Ann Ward

About our Speaker: more information coming soon

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

Lions Club Holiday Party (12/17/2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Lions Club Holiday Party
Thursday December 17, 2026
11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Casa Chapala Mexican Restaurant
9041 Research Blvd, #100, Austin, 78759

Austin Founder Lions will gather at Casa Chapala Mexican Restaurant for the annual Holiday Party. Enjoy a delicious fajita and enchilada buffet. Vegetarian options will be available. Come join us for a festive time of food and fellowship. There will also be some new members inducted into the club so please come.

ITENERARY

11:30: Meet and Mingle, cash bar
12:00: Blue Santa (selfie opportunities)
12:10: New Member Induction
12:30: Buffet meal
1:15: Game #1 Two Truths and a Lie
1:45: Game #2 Member Profile
2:15. Happy Holidays, drive safely

Cost for the party is $25 per person.
Guests are welcome!
Please register before noon on Thursday Dec. 11.

Michael Barnes (01/14/2027)

Thu, 14 Jan 2027 17:45:00 GMT

Michael Barnes

WHEN: Thursday January 14, 2027 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Michael Barnes
Introduced by Lion Carl Schock

About our Speaker: more information coming soon

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

Through Many Dangers: A True Tale of the 1905 Pistol-Packing Preacher (02/04/2027)

Thu, 04 Feb 2027 17:45:00 GMT

Through Many Dangers: A True Tale of the 1905 Pistol-Packing Preacher

WHEN: Thursday February 4, 2027 11:45 AM - 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Thomas Goodman
Introduced by Lion Henry Welles

Come revisit 1905 East Texas, where a young Methodist preacher arrives to lead a church—and finds himself drawn into a war for the soul of a town.

About our Speaker:

Thomas Goodman is a Spur Award–winning author of historical novels rooted in the grit and grace of turn-of-the-century Texas. He is a pastor with handgun training, though not yet a pistol-packing preacher. He married his high school sweetheart, Diane, and they have two adult sons. When time allows, he enjoys fly fishing, scuba diving, and puttering around his woodworking shop. Learn more about his books and sign up for his monthly newsletter at ThomasGoodmanWrites.com.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

A Second Chance at Life: My Heart Transplant Journey and the Gift of Organ Donation (02/11/2027)

Thu, 11 Feb 2027 17:45:00 GMT

A Second Chance at Life: My Heart Transplant Journey and the Gift of Organ Donation

WHEN: Thursday February 11, 2027 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Bob DeWitt
Introduced by Lion Jean McArthur

Bob has spent his life pushing his limits—from surfing and Ironman racing to 50-mile ultramarathons. But none of those experiences prepared him for the day when his own heart began to fail.

In this deeply personal and inspiring talk, Bob takes you inside his journey from amateur endurance athlete to heart transplant recipient—and the difficult road back. Along the way, he shares lessons about resilience, gratitude, perspective, and the remarkable gift of organ donation.

His message is simple: sometimes life’s greatest setbacks can reveal what matters most—and a second chance can change everything.

About our Speaker:

Bob DeWitt is a heart transplant recipient, Ironman triathlete, and inspirational speaker based in Austin, Texas. He spent more than 30 years in business, including 18 years in sales and management with Apple and Dell, where he was recognized nationally six times for his individual and team accomplishments. He later transitioned into wealth management, earning his Certified Investment Management Analyst designation through Wharton.

A lifelong competitor, Bob surfed for UC Santa Barbara in college, completed 14 Ironman triathlons—including the Hawaiian Ironman twice—and ran six 50-mile ultramarathons. Today, after a life-saving heart transplant, he shares his story of resilience, gratitude, and the extraordinary gift of organ donation.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

Texas Lions Camp Update (02/25/2027)

Thu, 25 Feb 2027 17:45:00 GMT

Texas Lions Camp Update

WHEN: Thursday February 25, 2027 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

PDG Stephen Fuchs
Introduced by Lion Mark Hastings

An update from the Texas Lions Camp including; impact our camp had last year, construction updates, social media information, potential service opportunities, encouragement to visit the camp, encouragement to make efforts to find campers.

About our Speaker:

Stephen has been a Lion in Cameron, Texas for 17 years. He served District 2-S3 as Governor in 2023-2024. His wife Mikaela is currently the Second Vice District Governor and together they have a 16-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. He has worked for Ideal Poultry, his family's business for 17 years as production farm manager. His primary focus in the Lions organization is the Lions Camp and Vision Screening.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!

If Plants Could Talk (03/18/2027)

Thu, 18 Mar 2027 16:45:00 GMT

If Plants Could Talk

WHEN: Thursday March 18, 2027 11:45 AM - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Austin State Hospital

4110 Guadalupe Street, Austin TX

Building 626 [map]

Reeve Hobbie
Introduced by Lion Rudy Munguia

If Plants Could Talk is a “just for fun” presentation where Reeve will reveal aspects of Texas plants you probably never knew. He has a wonderful collection of award-winning slides. From our tiniest grasses to our majestic trees, Reeve will dispel some old myths and share some interesting and often historical or botanical facts about them. Examples: Did you know that one of our favorite spring wildflowers is a parasite? Or that a native tree offers an alternative source of caffeine? You'll just want to hear firsthand what all the Texas plants have to share.

About our Speaker:

Reeve Hobbie was born and raised in New Jersey where he began gardening in his early teens and has been doing so ever since. After college he spent two years in England and three years in Minnesota. Then he and his family moved to northwest Austin where they have lived for the past 43 years. He retired from 3M Company 19 years ago. Almost immediately he went to Master Gardener training and received his certification from Travis County AgriLife Extension Services. He served as a Master Gardener for 12 years.

Lunch is available for $15.00 Please register so we know how much to order.

Assorted sandwiches: Turkey & Gruyere; Turkey & Provolone; Roast Beef and Swiss; Smoked Ham & Swiss; Curried Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad
Sandwich with Gluten Free Bread (Turkey & Provolone and/or Smoked Ham & Swiss).
Chef Salad with ham & turkey or Greek Salad (vegetarian)

All sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. Mustard and mayo on the side.

Please register by 5 p.m. on Tuesday

We order meals based on your reservations and must pay for them even if you do not show up.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please call 512-441-1555.

Drive slowly on Campus!