Henderson Lions Club History

Since its inception, the Henderson Lions Club has been dedicated to fulfilling the motto of all Lions Clubs: "We Serve". The club has always been active in all aspects of community service, with the primary goal being all areas which will promote the conservation of eyesight.

The Henderson Lions Club has been very active in promoting the growth of Lionism throughout this area. The club has been the sponsoring club for the Henderson Breakfast Lions, Henderson County Lions, Corydon Lions and Smith Mills Lions, and has assisted numerous other clubs in their organization and growth.

The leadership and dedication of Henderson Lions extend beyond the boundaries of our club. We are proud to have had these outstanding Lions from our club elected and serve as Lions District Governors:

1945-46   G. Palmer Belcher
1947-48   Lee Allen Rhoads
1956-57   Sol Bernstein
1962-63   Furman Lester
1977-78   Russell Gawthrop
1982-83   James R. Hayes
1984-85   James B. Morton

The membership and the community service activities of the club have steadily grown over the years. The club membership has averaged between 70 and 100 members for the past several years. The club has sponsored a little league baseball club for over 50 years; has conducted its annual fundraising auction for over 60 years; has provided free eye screening to grade school children for over 30 years; and has, since its inception in 1940, assisted needy men, women and children in Henderson County to obtain vision examinations and eyeglasses. This latter function has expanded during the last 25 years to include assistance to individuals in obtaining cataract surgeries, cornea transplants surgeries and support for programs combatting diabetic retinopathy.

The success and growth of the Henderson Lions Club throughout its long history has been the result of a membership comprised of outstanding and active community service oriented individuals, which has been continuously augmented and replenished. The club has flourished over the years under consistent strong leadership by dedicated Lions:

Past Presidents

2007-08    GREG HAGEDORN
2006-07    BILL LONEY
2005-06    STEVEN R. GOLD
2004-05    SANDY HESTER
2003-04    PHILLIP FOWLER
2002-03    BARBARA JONES
2001-02    PHILIP THOMPSON
2000-01    DONALD WATHEN
1999-2000    MIKE BURGETT
1998-99    MIKE BURGETT
1997-98    PATRICK MORGAN
1996-97    ED BRADY
1995-96    PAM SPECHT
1994-95    MYRLE PARTRIDGE
1993-94    TERRY POSEY
1992-93    JIM WHITE
1991-92    WALTER OLSON III
1991    JOHN WHITE
1990-91    LARRY BOOK
1989-90    MICHAEL WILKE
1988-89    WALTER B. MCGEE
1987-88    TONY STRAWN
1986-87    LARRY DIXON
1985-86    JERRY BERNSTEIN
1984-85    BILL RIDEOUT
1983-84    ALLEN G. KENNEY
1982-83    GERALD CROFT
1981-82    JAMES MORTON
1980-81    JAMES R. HAYES
1979-80    NORRIS PRIEST
1978-79    GEORGE CARR
1977-78    BOB PARK
1976-77    WALTER SHAW
1975-76    DON GRAVETTE
1974-75    DICK HANLE
1973-74    JOHN CAUSEY
1972-73    JACK SASSE
1971-72    RUSS GAWTHROP
1970-71    JAY COURSEY
1969-70    BILL EDWARDS
1968-69    BOB PRUITT
1967-68    CLARK JACOBS
1966-67    C. B. WEST
1965-66    JESS KITCHEN
1964-65    BAILEY MARTIN
1963-64    JAMES H. PULLEN
1962-63    JACK TAYLOR
1961-62    DONALD E. JONES
1960-61    OLIVER VAN METER
1959-60    FURMAN LESTER
1958-59    FRED HALLE
1957-58    HARRY BREAMER
1956-57    JULIAN HEILBRONER
1955-56    JOHN S. PALMORE
1954-55    GEORGE L. MOSS
1953-54    SOL BERNSTEIN
1952-53    RALFORD R. SEVERNS
1951-52    WAVERLIE CRAFTON
1950-51    MARLIN WATSON
1949-50    ROBERT M. SPRINGER
1948-49    JAMES DAN LLOYD
1947-48    P. A. MELTON
1946-47    RICHARD STAPLES
1945-46    L. ALLEN RHOADS
1944-45    G. B. BELCHER
1943-44    CLARENCE GEIBEL
1942-43    WALTER SERVER
1941-42    ARCHIE RIEHL
1940-41    HENRY LAIN
----    LEON PICKLE
----    Hillary Pruitt
 

Charter Members

The International Association of Lions Club chartered "The Henderson Lions Club of Henderson" on January 2, 1940. It was the first Lions Club in Henderson County, Kentucky. Charter members were:

Henry L. Laire
Charles G. Snyder
William R. Humber
Paul B. Moss
Sam P. Wilson
E. Howard Hutcheson
P. Sights
Hilliary W. Pruitt, SR.
DR. H.W. Pruitt, JR.
Archie Riehl
Landern Childers
Robert M. Springer
H. Heilbronner
L.C. Hou---oy, JR.
(One Signature Unreadable)

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