lionlogo The Lions Club of Bowie
Maryland District 22C

Bowie Lions Site Links


Bowie Lions Special Programs


Other Helpful Links

This is is just a some spacing text that will have the same color as the background text this text should help span the entire page and will fill the page. This is is just a some spacing text that will have the same color as the background text this text should.
We Serve


Lions help the Andersen family of Bowie

Robert Andersen bought the home for his wife Karen prior to their exchange of nuptials Valentine's Day 1976. Over the next 30 years Robert, Karen and their nine children,
five of whom are adopted had a home. A few days before Christmas 2006 the Andersen family lost their home to an accidental fire. The family lost just about
everything to the fire and smoke damage. Over the next 2 years the Andersen's worked with insurance companies and contractors to rebuild their house.

The family was devastated again when in September of 2008 Robert succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 56. He never got to see the house, he bought
for Karen when they were married, be rebuilt. The Andersen's incurred a massive amount of medical bills with little or no insurance. When the insurance for the contents
of their house was finally paid, the Anderson's paid off their outstanding medical bills, giving the family an opportunity to start from scratch debt free not having
the burden of any extra financial obligations.

In October 2009 the Anderson family needed help so that they could finally after almost 3 years move back home. The Bowie Lions answered this call for help.
The Lions purchased a number of mattresses and bed frames so everyone in the Andersen household would have a place to sleep. Also after 3 years, the traffic of
contractors working on the house the yard was not a place for kids. Again the Bowie Lions and especially Lion Doug H. stepped up and had the yard kid ready!


The Lions received the following note from Karen Andersen:

October 2009

Dear Carl,

It was amazing when you told me the Lions Club volunteered to help our family with our overgrown backyard. Our yard had become so out of hand since our lawnmower blade
was bent after hitting a stump left behind by BGE's tree clearing program. Within a day, your friend Doug had his landscaping service, Lawn Busters at our home with trucks
and trailers full of equipment and armed with manpower. Within minutes the four foot edge of weeds filled with purple staining berries were attacked, carried on shoulders
and disappeared into the dumpster. The whopper sized lawnmower ripped through the overgrowth and began to uncover the yard we once had. Trees were trimmed, weed whackers
were flying and piles of debris vanished.

After hours of work, while taking a minute for lunch on the deck, Doug would jump up to get a vine or a branch that caught his eye then return for another bite.
Only to jump again seeing something else to correct. I would say he's a perfectionist that I truly appreciated having for the day along with the two very polite and hard
working young men, Andy and Jayson. The front yard followed with the same aggressive effort and work ethics, leaving a well manicured lawn.

"Thank You" for all the help for a much needed job that never could have been accomplished by me and the kids, even with nine of them.

This shows just how much one person can begin with a thoughtful idea to help a family. Suggested the idea to the Lions Club. Made it work with volunteers.
With the end result of a mother standing in a beautiful yard with tears in her eyes, overwhelmed and trying to express, just how much this gift meant to her.

Please know that I will pass it on with another act of kindness.

Thank You and God Bless You ,

Karen Andersen (aka MOM = Mother Of Many....9)