Courtesy Photo David Zeller of Alpena will be inducted into the Michigan Lions Hall of Fame after serving for 44 years as an active member of the Alpena Lions Club.

ALPENA — This lifelong Alpena resident was born with Lions in his blood. And now he’s received the state’s highest honor that can be awarded to a Lion.

David Zeller has been selected as an inductee into the Lions Clubs of Michigan Hall of Fame.

“This is the highest honor bestowed on a Michigan Lion and only a few extraordinary Lions are inducted into their Hall of Fame each year,” said Pete Wilson, who oversees Zeller at Alpena Agency. “Dave has a strong commitment to our community and a willingness to help others. This is an incredible accomplishment and we are so proud.”

Zeller, a third generation Lion, has been involved with the Alpena Lions Club since 1976.

He received the notification that he was selected on July 8.

“I was in a little bit of shock,” Zeller said with a laugh. “I kind of knew in advance that I had been selected” by the local club, but then the nominees are submitted to the Lions Club of Michigan Foundation committee that selects the inductees.

A presentation was supposed to take place this August in Holland, Michigan, at the Lions Hall of Fame banquet, but that has been canceled because of the pandemic. It has been postponed until next August, Zeller said.

He explained that four living and two deceased Lions are normally inducted each year in Michigan.

“It’s a big deal amongst Lions,” said Zeller, who has been active in the community on many levels, and was named the Alpena Citizen of the Year in 2012.

“Being a third generation Lion, I kind of grew up as a Lion,” Zeller said. “My grandfather was a charter member of the Alpena Lions Club back in 1926.”

Zeller’s father, Bill Zeller, joined the Lions Club right out of college, and David followed suit in 1976. He has held every position in the local Lions Club over the years, including president. He has served as District Governor for the District 11 E-2 in Northeast Michigan this past year, and in 2008-2009.

“I’ve also been the chairman of the Lions of Michigan forum, which is a gathering every year,” he said. “Almost everything that there is to do in Lions, I’ve done, except for being president of Lions Club International.”

In addition to being active in the Alpena Lions Club, Zeller has served on many boards and in leadership positions in the community over the years. He believes in the importance of giving back and the rewards that come from touching the lives of others.

“I just volunteer like crazy,” Zeller said with a chuckle. “No sitting still.”

One instance that really impacted him was when the Alpena Lions Club was able to provide a young child, Jessica Leeck, with cochlear implants to help with her hearing.

“It really touched my heart,” Zeller said. “And that’s after I had already been a Lion for 10-15 years. It really pushed me to the edge that service was the way to go.”

The Lions help with many medical issues, such as vision, hearing, diabetes, pediatric cancer. They also help with food banks and various service projects.

He explained the importance of new membership, and invites anyone with a heart for service to join the club. As with many service groups, the Alpena Lions Club numbers have gone steadily down over the years.

“Our club was 120 members at one time, and now we’re down to the mid-40s,” Zeller said.

He said our Northeastern district numbers have dwindled to the point that they are not large enough for him to run for director of Lions Club International.

“Your district has to have at least 35 clubs and 1,250 members,” Zeller explained. “We’re down to 28 clubs and 763 members right now … When I joined, we had 2,612 members, so that’s how far it’s fallen.”

He said the district runs from Standish over to Gladwin up to Mackinaw, so it emcompasses quite a large area.

He said there is strength in numbers, and the more Lions there are, the more good they can do. There are many benefits to being a Lion, and he encourages others to consider joining the club.

“We give them a great ability to reach out and touch somebody,” he said, adding that he didn’t mean literally because of social distancing. But he said the impact a group like the Lions can have on the community is rewarding for everyone.

“With all the different types of projects that we have going on, we can probably reach out and touch somebody that you know,” Zeller said. “Everybody knows somebody that has, or is affected by diabetes. And then pediatric cancer is our newest project.”

Rewards don’t just come in the form of awards. They come from the satisfaction of knowing you helped improve someone else’s life, he said.

“So if you want to reach out and serve and help somebody out that’s in need, definitely the Lions is the place to be,” he said.