A History of the Norfolk Ocean View Lions Club
October 2, 1933 – October 2, 2023
A History of the Norfolk Ocean View Lions Club
1933 – 2023
(Complied histories written by Lions David Lawrence, Thomas Hall and Gary Coldren)
October 2023
The Ocean View Lions Club was sponsored by the Norfolk Host Lions Club and organized on October 2, 1933 with a nucleus of 20 members. The first formal meeting of the Club was on November 18, 1933 and the Charter was presented on November 20. The First President was Lion John Flament and the first treasurer was Lion Ira White. The meetings were held at the Nansemond Hotel that was owned by one of the charter members, Lion Otto Wells.
The Ocean View Lions Club quickly became involved in community service, the members obtaining $100,000 guaranteed deposits to encourage the Southern Bank of Norfolk to open a branch in Ocean View. This bank later became the First Virginia Bank. After the 1953 hurricane, the members of the Club endorsed a note for extensive repairs to the Ocean View Amusement Park. The Club also spearheaded efforts to obtain jetties to repair severe beach erosion along the Chesapeake Bay side of Willoughby Spit.
On May 31 and June 1, 1935, the 12th Annual District Convention was held at Nansemond hotel with the Ocean View Lions Club serving as host. The main speaker for the banquet was the Rev. P. Roland Wagner, a popular Norfolk minister. At this time there were 36 chartered Lions Clubs in Virginia.
During World War II, the U.S. Navy established an amphibious force headquarters at Nansemond Hotel and the Ocean View Lions Club had to change its meeting sites during the War.
By 1946 the membership of the Club had increased to nearly 100. The Club had a Ladies Auxiliary that was quite active, especially in conducting an annual minstrel show. During this time the Club sponsored the chartering of two new clubs, the Norview Lions Club and the Ward’s Corner Lions Club. A former president of the club, Lion Otto Balance, was elected District Governor in 1948.
The membership slowly decreased following the War, but the Club remained true to the Lion’s Motto by serving the community. Notably the Club was instrumental in the construction of the Ocean View School Field House. The Cub sponsored Boy Scout Troop #5, with Lion Bill Moore serving as scoutmaster for many years. Lion Bill Herman served as a Zone Chairman and a Deputy District Governor. In 1975, the Civic Affairs Committee organized the Ocean View Coordinating Committee to promote many civic improvements in the area. The Club was also very active in the Bland Memorial Scholarship Program and the International Lions youth Exchange Program during this time.
During the first fifty years the Club raised funds selling products made by the blind, including fruit cakes, light bulbs, and brooms, holding bake sales, and recycling newsprint. $1,500 was received in the will of deceased Lion Sam Robbins.
The Club has always focused on eyesight preservation, including helping fund a Zone eye clinic, providing many eye examinations and glasses, helping blind persons attend summer camp, contributing to the Old Dominion Eye Bank, and paying for several cataract operations, sponsoring the Sight & Hearing Van regularly, and helping fund the Leader Dog Program; the Club also participated in other types of service notably: providing dentures and a prescription corset, helping families with food, electricity and fuel, helping send the Northside Junior High School Band to the Oyster Bowl, and contributing to the Ocean View Tourist and Economic Council and the Ocean View Library.
Of course being a Lion in the Ocean View Lions Club was not “all work and no play.” Most meetings had a speaker, and the annual Charter Night and annual Christmas party were always enjoyable affairs well attended.
One of our Lions, Lion Russ Moline served the Club in all elected offices including two terms as President. He served on the District Governor’s Cabinets, was Zone Chairman and Deputy District Governor, and Lion Russ served on multiple District committees.
The 50th anniversary was held on November 18, 1983 with a banquet at the Diamond Club, and the 60th anniversary was held November 12, 1993 at the Airport Hilton Hotel. During this period our promotion of Bingo games became the main source of fundraising for our activities. Lions Joe Mailik, Bill Tarkington, and Al Dixon were active with members from four other clubs in operating the Bingo games at Southern Shopping Center. Blanche Tarkington, the widow of Lion Bill, was made an honorary member of the Club in 1991 in honor of her invaluable assistance in raising activity funds through the Bingo games.
The Club continued to be active in all the aforementioned services; however, it is worthy to note the continued sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop #5 and the leadership of Lion Scoutmaster Bill Moore. Lion Bill was scoutmaster for forty-four years, and during this time sixty Boy Scouts earned Eagle Scout badges and ten Scouts received Silver Beaver awards. Lion Bill retired as Scoutmaster on January 1, 1993.
For the last twenty years to 2013, notable happenings have been the ending of the Bingo fundraising, the opening of the Ocean View Lions Charities Foundation, and regular volunteer work with the Sight & Hearing van. Lion Elaine Smith managed the Diabetes Screening. We began sponsoring the hearing impaired class at Mary Calcott Elementary School, and until recently having the children and staff at our annual Christmas party with the children singing Christmas carols. We give each child a Christmas gift. Lion Mel Raasio and his wife Barbara have served as Santa’s helpers each year by purchasing the gifts for the children with Lion Tracy Hewitt taking over this task in 2022.
In addition to sponsoring the hearing impaired class at Mary Calcott, with Lion Tom Hall’s leadership, another new service has been to purchase the American flags flown 24-hr each day at Sarah Constant Shrine. The first flag was raised by City Councilman Elect Don Williams on Memorial Day, May 27, 2002. The speaker was Lion District Governor Merle Arnold. The Star Spangled Banner was sung by Rosalie Sanchez followed by God Bless America sung by all present. Lion Al Saunders gave the benediction. The Club continues to purchase flags as needed for this site. Lion Stanley Hughson monitored and replaced the flags for many years, his service being honored and recognized in the 2006 Lions Magazine. The Club also purchased five American flags, poles and holders for the new Mary Pretlow Library.
We held our 75th anniversary banquet on October 20, 2008 honoring Lion Citizen of the Year Tom Hall.
The Club continues many of the activities previously mentioned. Lion Rudy Stuteville continues as a leader in the Boy Scouts and in the local HAM radio associations. We continue to provide a presence in the Ocean View St. Patrick’s Day parade and support the Bland Music Scholarship Program. Until his death in 2013, Lion Tom Hall grew Hosta plants to sell for fund raising. (Note at Lion Tom’s death, he had been a Lion for over forty years!) The Club donated $2,000 to repair a causeway at Pipsico Scout Reservation that was damaged by Hurricane Isabelle. We donated equipment for the new Mary Pretlow Library to help visually impaired. Five of our Lions have served on the Board of the Ocean View Station Museum, and the Club assisted financially with the cost of moving the Museum to the new library. Our Lion Neil Smith has served as chairperson of the Lions Medical Eye Bank before he moved to Tennessee but still remains an associate member of our club.
In 2011 and 2012, the Club had a golf tournament as one of its fundraising activities. Under the leadership of Lions Jim Willoughby and Warren Stewart the first year and Lion Melody Taylor- Fain the second year, this activity honoring Lion George Hughes was great fun and was a good fundraiser for our service activities.
In 2012, the Club became active in providing Children’s Vision Screening, and to date, we have screened over 14,000 children and almost 2,600 adults using the SPOT equipment. We now have two sets of SPOT equipment, and we purchased a third set for use by the Eastern Virginia Lions Club. Another very active service is helping local people with eye examinations and purchasing eyeglasses.
On July 1, 2018 our Lion District 24D combined with District 24B to become District 24-I.
As of 2023, we have a Club Member on the Eyeglass Recycling Center Board, another member on the District Charity Foundation, and a third member on the District Sight & Hearing Committee. Lion Nancy Grochowski is the District Sight & Hearing Unit Scheduler and our Zone Chairperson. David Rosmer, our past LCIF Coordinator has made our club international by sending recycled eyeglasses to the Philippines and flood and hunger relief through a Lions Club in Nepal. With the leadership of Lion Nancy Rodrique, we support the Bayview Elementary School with renovating the school courtyard, and with purchasing a weather station and portable white board for the school. Lion Nancy also lead us in developing a community garden at Miles Memorial Methodist Church.
We clean the Lenox Wetlands on Granby Street regularly for the “Keep Norfolk Beautiful – Adopt the Spot” Program. We support the Oceanview Challengers Little League financially and by attending home games. We have supported the Tidewater Wooden Boat Workshop and the Mary Pretlow Library Maker Studio. Finally, we supported the cost of Scout Christian Dunbar’s “Little Free Pantry” Eagle Project and continue to support this pantry with donations.
In 2020, we started an active Facebook Page headed by Lions Leslie Dunbar and Lion Mick Grochowski.
In 2022, Lion Mick Grochowski was honored with a Melvin Jones Fellowship for the many hours he spent in building the interior of the new District Sight & Hearing Van. Lion Mick has been an active driver of the Sight & Hearing Vans.
Othe activities of the club include assisting local teachers with classroom supplies and equipment, three of our Lions volunteer for a weekly breakfast for homeless people in our area at Miles Memorial Methodist Church.
In 2023, our long-term Treasurer, Lion Bruce Seamans moved to Maryland to be closer to his grandchildren. Lion Bruce was honored for his work by becoming a Progressive Melvin Jones fellow in 2022.
On October 2, 2023, we celebrate our 90th Anniversary dinner at Mom & Pops Restaurant, with our “veteran” Lions telling about their history of the club.
In summary, this history should show the reader although we were once a large club with almost 100 members, we are now a small club with 20 members, but throughout our history the Ocean View Lions has always been a club that stands true to the Lions’ motto,
“WE SERVE”
Melvin Jones Fellow Award Recipients of the Ocean View Lions Club
|
Russell E. Moline |
06/20/1988 |
|
Pi Huan Wang |
12/03/1997 |
|
Thomas R. Hall |
11/13/1990 |
|
Kim Beaucaire |
06/04/1998 |
|
David B. Lawrence, Jr. |
02/09/1993 |
|
Daniel W. Richardson |
03/13/1998 |
|
Anna L. Edelblute |
02/26/1993 |
|
Sharon R. Richardson |
07/02/1998 |
|
Joseph Malik, Jr. |
05/11/1993 |
|
Frances Lowe Smith |
09/15/1999 |
|
George S, Hughes |
04/08/1994 |
|
Elaine Smith |
06/27/2000 |
|
William Moore, Jr. |
04/08/1994 |
|
Virginia A. Rodgers |
05/25/2001 |
|
William J. Smith |
04/08/1994 |
|
Larry Beaucaire |
07/08/2003 |
|
Rue O. Stuteville |
10/20/1995 |
|
Marlene Dunn |
07/08/2003 |
|
James W. Kelly |
03/19/1996 |
|
Ruth A. Reiver |
07/08/2003 |
|
Ellsworth L. Johnson |
09/30/1996 |
|
John E. Roger |
07/08/2003 |
|
Grady Q. Pittard, Jr. |
09/30/1996 |
|
Al Saunders |
07/08/2003 |
|
Bruce A. Seamans |
09/30/1996 |
|
Barbara Saunders |
07/08/2003 |
|
Melvin W. Raasio |
01/13/1997 |
|
Cecil C. Smithson |
07/08/2003 |
|
Mary June Hall |
06/02/1997 |
|
Jim Williford |
10/20/2008 |
|
Imogene H. Mailik |
06/02/1997 |
|
John Sansone |
10/20/2008 |
|
Douglas H. Derring |
12/03/1997 |
|
Warren Stewart |
10/20/2008 |
|
Albert Ferguson |
12/03/1997 |
|
Betty Prudner |
10/20/2008 |
|
Neil C. Smith |
12/03/1997 |
|
Gary Coldren |
10/21/2013 |
|
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|
Mick Grochowski Bruce Seamans (Progressive) |
10/17/2022 10/17/2022 |
Ocean View Lions Club Presidents
|
1933 |
John Flamant |
1963 |
Cecil A. Weekly |
1993 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
|
1934 |
C.C. Collmus |
1964 |
Frederick G. Miller |
1994 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
|
1935 |
M.G. Duffy |
1965 |
James W. McElroy |
1995 |
Mel Raasio |
|
1936 |
J.R. Miars |
1966 |
Russell W. Moline |
1996 |
Dan Richardson |
|
1937 |
Richard Reynolds |
1967 |
Lewis B. Reavis |
1997 |
Anna L. Edelblute |
|
1938 |
T.J. O’Connor |
1968 |
Lemuel P. Shipp |
1998 |
Ellsworth Johnson |
|
1939 |
Dr. Jack O’Keefe |
1969 |
Jack W. Kennedy |
1999 |
Grady O. Pittard |
|
1940 |
Ray Near |
1970 |
Albert E. Ferguson |
2000 |
Neil Smith |
|
1941 |
H.S. Herman |
1971 |
William Moore, Jr. |
2001 |
Cecil Smithson |
|
1942 |
A.B. Cramer |
1972 |
Wyatt L. Martin |
2002 |
Mel Raasio |
|
1943 |
Guy Herr |
1973 |
Richard J. Moylan |
2003 |
Al Saunders |
|
1944 |
Wm A. W. Cramer |
1974 |
Douglas H. Derring |
2004 |
Marlene Dunn |
|
1945 |
Al Guille |
1975 |
Thomas R. Hall |
2005 |
Dr. Pi Huan Wang |
|
1946 |
Otto Balance |
1976 |
Lynn D. Moore, Sr. |
2006 |
Larry Beaucaire |
|
1947 |
Tony Barbaria |
1977 |
Henry E. Sleeper |
2007 |
Dr. Warren Stewart |
|
1948 |
Lou Richardson |
1978 |
Thomas R. Hall |
2008 |
Al Saunders |
|
1949 |
Courtney McCurry |
1979 |
Russell W. Moline |
2009 |
John Sansone |
|
1950 |
Fred Bingham |
1980 |
Fred W. Sweitzer |
2010 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1951 |
Sam Robbins |
1981 |
Arthur L. Brown |
2011 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1952 |
E.T. Hamlet |
1982 |
Alva Dixon |
2012 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1953 |
H.E. Fentress |
1983 |
Alva L. Dixon |
2013 |
Cecil Smithson |
|
1954 |
David B. Lawrence, Jr. |
1984 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
2014 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
|
1955 |
Ernest A. Morgan |
1985 |
Richard L.Cabaniss |
2015 |
Al Saunders |
|
1956 |
J.H. Gregory |
1986 |
William Tarkington |
2016 |
Meredith Coldren |
|
1957 |
M.A. Steinbaugh |
1987 |
Joseph Malik, Jr. |
2017 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1958 |
T.G. Warrick |
1988 |
Michael R. York |
2018 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1959 |
George S. Hughes |
1989 |
Douglas R. Derring |
2019 |
Nancy Grochowski |
|
1960 |
Frank S. Shaw |
1990 |
James E. Weekly |
2020 |
Nancy Grochowski |
|
1961 |
Joseph A. Florence |
1991 |
Bruce A. Seamans |
2021 |
Nancy Grochowski |
|
1962 |
Reid M. Spencer |
1992 |
Thomas P.Courtney |
2022 2023 |
Nancy Grochowski Meredith Coldren |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Ocean View Lions Club Presidents
|
1933 |
John Flamant |
1963 |
Cecil A. Weekly |
1993 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
|
1934 |
C.C. Collmus |
1964 |
Frederick G. Miller |
1994 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
|
1935 |
M.G. Duffy |
1965 |
James W. McElroy |
1995 |
Mel Raasio |
|
1936 |
J.R. Miars |
1966 |
Russell W. Moline |
1996 |
Dan Richardson |
|
1937 |
Richard Reynolds |
1967 |
Lewis B. Reavis |
1997 |
Anna L. Edelblute |
|
1938 |
T.J. O’Connor |
1968 |
Lemuel P. Shipp |
1998 |
Ellsworth Johnson |
|
1939 |
Dr. Jack O'Keefe |
1969 |
Jack W. Kennedy |
1999 |
Grady O. Pittard |
|
1940 |
Ray Near |
1970 |
Albert E. Ferguson |
2000 |
Neil Smith |
|
1941 |
H.S. Herman |
1971 |
William Moore, Jr. |
2001 |
Cecil Smithson |
|
1942 |
A.B. Cramer |
1972 |
Wyatt L. Martin |
2002 |
Mel Raasio |
|
1943 |
Guy Herr |
1973 |
Richard J. Moylan |
2003 |
Al Saunders |
|
1944 |
Wm A. W. Cramer |
1974 |
Douglas H. Derring |
2004 |
Marlene Dunn |
|
1945 |
Al Guille |
1975 |
Thomas R. Hall |
2005 |
Dr. Pi Huan Wang |
|
1946 |
Otto Balance |
1976 |
Lynn D. Moore, Sr. |
2006 |
Larry Beaucaire |
|
1947 |
Tony Barbaria |
1977 |
Henry E. Sleeper |
2007 |
Dr. Warren Stewart |
|
1948 |
Lou Richardson |
1978 |
Thomas R. Hall |
2008 |
Al Saunders |
|
1949 |
Courtney McCurry |
1979 |
Russell W. Moline |
2009 |
John Sansone |
|
1950 |
Fred Bingham |
1980 |
Fred W. Sweitzer |
2010 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1951 |
Sam Robbins |
1981 |
Arthur L. Brown |
2011 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1952 |
E.T. Hamlet |
1982 |
Alva Dixon |
2012 |
Gary Coldren |
|
1953 |
H.E. Fentress |
1983 |
Alva L. Dixon |
2013 |
Cecil Smithson |
|
1954 |
David B. Lawrence, Jr. |
1984 |
Rue O. Stuteville |
2014 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1955 |
Ernest A. Morgan |
1985 |
Richard L.Cabaniss |
2015 |
Al Saunders |
|
1956 |
J.H. Gregory |
1986 |
William Tarkington |
2016 |
Meredith Coldren |
|
1957 |
M.A. Steinbaugh |
1987 |
Joseph Malik, Jr. |
2017 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1958 |
T.G. Warrick |
1988 |
Michael R. York |
2018 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1959 |
George S. Hughes |
1989 |
Douglas R. Derring |
2019 |
Rue Stuteville |
|
1960 |
Frank S. Shaw |
1990 |
James E. Weekly |
2020 |
Nancy Grochowski |
|
1961 |
Joseph A. Florence |
1991 |
Bruce A. Seamans |
2021 |
Nancy Grochowski |
|
1962 |
Reid M. Spencer |
1992 |
Thomas P.Courtney |
2022 |
Nancy Grochowski |
| 2023 | Meredith Coldren |
