CORTLAND — For the past 41 years, the Cortland Lions Club has organized and run the annual summer street fair, but is now reaching out to the public to have someone else take it over.

More than 45 people gathered Wednesday at the club’s grounds to discuss someone new taking over organizing, planning and running the street fair.

“We will still be part of the street fair and will help guide whoever decides to take over the street fair. We will be here to help answer questions and help where needed to give someone the tools to make the festival a success,” Lions Club president Dawna Wiland said.

She said the club still will have their French fries trailer and beer tent at the festival.

Basil Jarrett, street fair chairman, said 91% of the funds raised by the Lions Club go back into Trumbull County as scholarships for students and eyeglasses for children from many school districts.

“We buy glasses for children who need them. Any community that does not have a Lions Club we help in getting glasses,” Jarrett said.

The street fair has taken place for 77 years.

He said if the street fair does not take place, there is a lot to lose, not just for the city, but also Trumbull County.

“We are giving Lakeview schools more than $10,000 a year,” he said.

Jarrett said many of the Lions Club members are getting older and the membership has dwindled to around 22, making it harder to handle all aspects of the street fair.

Constance Amstutz, vice president of the Cortland Lions Club, said there is a lot of work involved, noting she handled many of the contracts for the street fair.

Wiland said there is also work involved with fundraising for the street fair.

“We hope that people do want to be a part of this and help make the street fair a success,” she said.

Plans are to have residents decide what committee they would like to be involved with for the street fair.

Wiland said information will be provided on what the responsibilities of each committee are and the timeline of when the committees need to be working. She said people do not have to be a Lions Club member to serve on a committee to plan the street fair.

Cortland Councilman John Picuri said the different committees will require different amounts of time, with some working way in advance of the street fair and others closer to the event.

“We need to know what will be the commitment and expectations for each committee. Some people may have more free time in the summer and others in the winter,” Picuri said.

Wiland said contracts for vendors begin in the winter because the vendors begin booking for the summer events in January and February.

Heather Victor, who said she helped with organizing and running jazz festivals in Pittsburgh, said she can help with planning street fair entertainment.

Jarrett said most of the entertainment and vendors come back to the festival each summer.

Bill Lowther, a Lions Club past president, said the Lions Club will continue to take part in the street fair and if money is needed, members will be willing to help procure donations.

“We want people to know that we are not walking away from this event.” Lowther said.

Another meeting to review committees for the festival such as vendors, entertainment and parade will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Lions Club pavilion.