Most recognize the San Diego Downtown Lions Club as the founding supporter of the nation’s largest high school baseball tournament held on Easter weekends. The last countywide springtime classic involved 112 teams, playing over four days, according to Peter Gallagher, who has been at the helm of the tourney for several years. Still, this represents only one major function generated from inside the 14-story Lions Manor, located in the heart of the Gaslamp District (4th and Market streets). Gallagher, who is an East County Superior Court judge, said there is much more to the club’s philanthropic operations. As a past president, Gallagher can attest to the important work being done by the 160-member organization — one-third of those members made up of women. Gallagher said the organization has committees fostering programs for the sight- and hearing-challenged, scholarships and various  charities. “We fund things that the big charities and the government do not,” Gallagher said. Victoria Wierig, who has been executive director for 27 years, said she has seen the club grow in many ways, including a $4 million reserve from bequeaths and other major contributions. “We’re a 501(c) nonprofit under the San Diego Lions Club welfare foundation arm and receive an operating budget from our members,” Wierig said. “Membership is by invitation to persons willing to serve the community.” Established in 1922, the Lions Club is one of few service clubs that are fortunate to enjoy the ownership and use of its own meeting facility. At the Tuesday meetings, members stay informed by inviting civic and military leaders to speak on current topics. “We have a solid base of members in their thirties, fourties and fifties and (who are) at the middle level of their careers looking for something to do instead of just golfing or hanging out at the beach,” Gallagher said. Building upon a plan of offering assistance to the sight- and hearing-impaired, the club continues its support to many worthwhile projects. Mindful of the changing times, it takes an active role in programs involving at-risk youth, the elderly, the developmentally-challenged and otherwise disadvantaged members of society. Also, it’s the vanguard in providing support to  local servicemen and women. “We recently gave a check to the Veterans Village to provide for the homeless veterans,” said Gallagher. Lions Manor is a Housing and Urban Development Department-subsidized apartment building at 310 Market Street, which was built by the club in 1981 for low-income elderly and wheelchair-bound citizens. There are 131 apartments, each with a living room, one-bedroom, bath, kitchen and private balcony. The first floor contains the building offices, a spacious lobby, a game room, a library and TV area, and a large community room for resident use. Sharon Mendenhall, a retired city school vice principal, is the current president. Attorney Rich Rankin will assume the yearlong post in July. As for the baseball tourney, Gallagher said he would like to add more Southern  California teams to its eight divisions. Highly successful San Diego High baseball coach Les Cassie encouraged the Lions Club to start the tourney 60 years ago. It was founded because city schools could no longer afford to send teams to a major tourney in Pomona. It was named in honor of Mike Marrow, a legendary high school and college baseball coach.