The Salisbury Lions held its 80th annual banquet on Feb. 15 to recognize the Salisbury/Rowan Person of the Year and the Lion of the Year. Club members welcomed past recipients, special guests and Lions from other clubs to celebrate the presentation of these awards.

Kyna Grubb, executive director of Rowan Helping Ministries since 2011, was named Person of the Year.

Under Grubb’s leadership this important local ministry has grown significantly in assisting the most vulnerable in our community. She has engaged local leaders in a $7 million expansion project which added a new homeless shelter and kitchen facility in 2014, renovated and re-purposed the original facility, and has added a third home for supportive housing while increasing educational and employment opportunities for their clients.

In 2016, Grubb launched a campus expansion plan to raise $6 million to develop affordable transitional and permanent supportive housing, bring full time medical services on campus, and grow the maintenance reserve balance for sustainable facility operations.

In 2018, Grubb integrated “Food for Thought” into the family of programs at Rowan Helping Ministries. This has enabled the ministry to provide weekend meals for school children in food insecure situations. Because of her creative partnering with other non-profits, multiple other agencies such as Meals on Wheels, Healthy Rowan, Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center, and many others collaborate to ensure a holistic approach to support those in need a variety of services

Paul Hess was recognized as the 2022 Lion of the Year. A Lion since 1983, he was Lion of the Year in 1989, is a Melvin Jones Fellow, a Jack Stickley Fellow and a North Carolina Lion Ambassador. He conducts many critical “behind the scenes” functions that are necessary for the success of the club. He keeps up with all membership data, and each year publishes a new club directory which provides the membership and interested parties with vital “need to know” information for the club. The club also benefits from his publishing skills as he prepares and professionally creates bulletins for banquets, such as for the Person of the Year. He also publishes the club’s monthly newsletter in order to keep the membership updated on “all things Lion.” As assistant secretary, he also recently trained a new secretary, whose proficiency is critical to the club’s success.