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The Stillwater Lions Club came into existence at its charter meeting held at the Lowell Inn at 12:15 on May 25, 1928. The first members included a lawyer, the prison warden, an insurance man, a grocer, a newspaper man, a printer, and undertaker, a dentist, a dry cleaner, a minister, a surgeon and others.
Community Service
Our motto is “We Serve”. Our club is a place where individuals join together to give their valuable time and effort to improving our community and our world.The Stillwater Lions are proud of many dimensions of community and public service over many years. The club treasurer and president plan a yearly budget for charitable giving. Other cash donations are decided by the Board of Directors. The club continues to make contributions to many worth while projects. Our global causes are vision, diabetes, hunger, the environment, and childhood cancer. Each year at Christmas we help with bell ringing for the Salvation Army. The club collects used glasses that are donated.
Membership
Membership over the decades have included nearly 800 people. In 1947 the club decided to limit membership to 75 and they had a waiting list. The number of new members accepted by the club since inception by decade is as follows:
1930s 70, 1940s 77, 1950s 96, 1960s 83, 1970s 132, 1980s 126, 1990s 84, 2000s 70, 2010s 18
Current membership is 35.
Dues
Historically the dues were structured to encourage members to attend meetings. The club raised funds by charging each member a fixed quarterly fee that covered the cost of lunches, picnics and International Dues. If members did not attend meetings they contributed to the club’s public service activities. The current membership fee is $96 per quarter which includes a noon lunch twice per month.
Picnics
One highlight of memberships is the four Club picnics in the summer. The club owns a “cooker” and Gary Bressler coordinates the picnic activity with the help of others. The chefs have included Happy Otte, Art Edstrom, Jim Weaver, Mark DeWolf and Joe Arndt. Jon Weaver has been chief chef in recent years.
Scholarships
The club began to offer a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior from Stillwater High School in 2014. In 2018, 2019, and 2021 we were able to give 2 scholarships. A club committee makes the selection and one of the criteria for the award is that the student shows interest in volunteering.
The Lion’s Trailer
In 1968 the club began to buy tables and chairs for the picnics. By 1972 John Bourdaghs began to haul them to events. In 1980 the club purchased a trailer which holds 17 tables and over 120 chairs. The Lion’s tables and chairs have taken on a public and private service role within the community. Other civic organizations and members have borrowed them for events.
Diversity
We have no gender, race, age or religious restrictions
Programs
A major benefit for club membership is the opportunity to engage in programs and with speakers at our biweekly meetings. In the 93 years of the club existence there may have been over 4,000 programs presented. These have covered many different topics and are educational. Ideas for programs are welcomed. Each member is invited to bring programs.
Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.
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