History of the Chambersburg Evening Lions Club
In 1983, three members of the Chambersburg Lions Club, Steve Caldwell, Mike Cerveris and Tom Werdebaugh, convinced that they could be more effective in a different arena, set out to organize a second Club in Chambersburg. Along with two members of the Green Township Lions Club (Sam Fitz and Glen Smith) a nucleus was formed and they went to work. An additional 18 members were recruited and the application for charter was submitted on May 23, 1984.
The charter was officially presented to the new Evening Club on August 18th of that year. With five transferees and eighteen new members, the Chambersburg Evening Lions Club hit the ground running and hasn't stopped.
Consistent with the expressed intention to be an active Club and the need for funds the Club was on the Square two weeks later for the second annual International Food Festival with our German, Polish and Italian Sausages. Thinking that food booths might be our forte we showed up at Fish Rodeos, Food Feasts, Armed Forces Days etc. but found that weather, competition and leftover perishable inventories, made it difficult to consistently make a profit. We also tried selling raffles, Bonus Books, casino nights and even sponsored "Up With People" twice but decided that fund raising was not our strength. However, in the past few years we have had better success with our broom sales, which we took over from the Chambersburg Noontime Lions Club. As a result we have been able to increase our contributions to the District and selected local needs considerably.
In addition we hold an annual Pancake Breakfast in October and sell Farm Ship Milkshakes during Old Market Days in downtown Chambersburg in July
CELC King Lions/Presidents
1984-1985 Steve Caldwell
1985-1986 Mike Cerveris
1986-1987 Sam Fitz
1987-1988 Russ Bennett
1988-1989 Glen Smith
1989-1990 Frank Boyle
1990-1991 Joe LaGrassa
1991-1992 Tom Spering
1992-1993 Mike Daugherty
1993-1994 Barry Stouffer/Steve Caldwell*
1994-1995 Glen Smith*
1995-1996 Joe LaGrassa*
1996-1997 Jim Wilson
1997-1998 Frank Boyle*
!998-1999 Zan Beattie
1999-2000 Ernest Charlesworth
2000-2001 Ethel Harmon
2001-2002 Skip Remson
2002-2003 Lu Merriman
2003-2004 Cliff Brug
2004-2005 John Massa
2005-2006 Pat Evans
2006-2007 Henry Johnson
2007-2008 Bruce Kessler
2008-2009 Dan Hoover
2009-2010 Dave Keller
2010-2011 Zan Beattie*
2011-2012 Ernie Charlesworth*
2012-2013 Skip Remson*
2013-2014 Bruce Kessler*
2014-2015 Dan Hoover*
2015-2017 Steve Caldwell*
2017-2018 Dean Barrick
2018-2019 John Reed
2020-2022 Ernie Charlesworth*
2022-2024 Joel Leckron
2024-present Doug Harbach
