Edwards Lions Club    

P. O. Box 167

Edwards, NY   13635

(315) 562-8228

 

                                                                                               

President - Crystal Whitford

First Vice-President - Iris Thomas

Second Vice-President - Betty Dodge

Third Vice-President - Robert Clintsman

Secretary - Bernard Gonyea

Treasurer - Donna Whitford

Tail Twister (Fun Maker) - Joe Creech

Lion Tamer (Song Leader) - Ray Norman

 

The Board consists of Ken McGuinness, Fred Finley, Phil Soper, Harvey Thomas, Charlie Typhair and Pete Lawless.

 

FOR GENERAL INFORMATION - call 315-562-8228, write to Edwards Lions Club, P. O. Box 167, Edwards, NY 13635, or email stonehouse@tds.net.

 

Lions International was founded by Melvin Jones in 1917 and today it is the world’s largest service organization.  This is due partly because in 1925 Helen Keller asked, “Gentlemen, would you be my Knights of the Blind?”  She asked Lions to pick up her crusade and adopt sight conservation as a major project of Lions International.  Little did she realize that in just 25 years, Lions were not only in America, but in China, Africa and all the other free countries of the world, all working for one goal - to eradicate the dreaded disease of blindness.

 

The emblem of the Lions has great significance.  The letter “L” stands for law, liberty, labor, loyalty, love, and life.  The letter “L” is placed within a circle representing the unity of each individual member with each local club, with Lions International, and with all Lions throughout the world.  The letter “L” and the circle of unity are set against a background of purple, signifying loyalty - loyalty to country, to friends, to one’s self, and to the integrity of mind and heart.  Surrounding the purple circle is an exterior of gold, signifying sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life, and generosity in mind, heart and purse toward our fellow man.  Last, but by no means least, in the exterior circle of gold, you will find the heads of two lions.  One looks back, reflecting on our many accomplishments.  The other looks forward, indicating our constant readiness to seize the future and make it our own.  There are no barriers in Lionism, no levels, we are all equal as symbolized by the Lions toast, “Not Above You, Not Beneath You, But With You.”

 

The Town of Edwards Lions Club was chartered on March 17, 1962.  Co-Sponsors of the club were the Clifton-Fine Lions Club and the Gouverneur Lions Club.  Charter Members of the Edwards Lions Club were Richard M. Bachner, Ralph Boni (First Vice-President), Neil Brown, Stanley C. Bullock (Treasurer), Gerald E. Crocka, Arnold Dean, Ralph Dier, Alexander E. Dodds, Leon French, William W. Hurley (Tail Twister), Carl F. Hurley, Maynard W. Hurley (President), J. Allen Johnson, Max Lanphear, Carl A. Lashuay, Edgar R. Lea (Secretary), Lewis E. Lumley, Peter J. Matejcik (Lion Tamer), Clifford J. Miles, Merrill Premo, Lawrence Tucker (Second Vice-President) and Carl M. Randall (Third Vice-President).

 

The Edwards Lions Club now has 33 members.  In 2002, the Club allowed women to join and the first three were inducted (Crystal Whitford, Donna Whitford and Iris Thomas).  Currently there are 9 women members.

 

Meetings are held at the Edwards Nutrition Center on the first and third Wednesday of each month from September to June.  Meetings begin at 6:30 pm.

 

The Edwards Lions Club has land located at the end of Hall Road in the Village of Edwards.  The field can be reserved for a donation.  There is a pavilion, a covered BBQ pit, a small cook shack and several covered booths.  There is also an old train depot.  The members have been working on the field to get a permanent bathroom built to take the place of the portable toilets.  They are also considering a few campsites to utilize the Oswegatchie River for such things as kayaking.

 

The Edwards Lions Club does numerous fundraisers throughout the ten months they meet.  The annual Birthday/Anniversary Calendar is usually ordered by mid-September for delivery before Christmas.  If you wish to have a listing put on the calendar or want to order a calendar, contact Crystal Whitford at 315-562-8228 or email to stonehouse@tds.net.  Other fundraisers are a Mother’s Day Brunch, chocolate Easter bunny sales, fruit sales, a Demolition derby in the spring and fall each year, and photos taken to have either colored or sepia-tone portraits printed.  The annual Lions Festival is held in July with vendors, a chicken BBQ, a huge parade and spectacular fireworks at dark.   See the schedule of events for those 2006-2007 happenings.

 

The Lions Club gives monetary awards for Community Service to students at Edwards-Knox Central School and donates to those in need, such as Camp Badger, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, St. Lawrence County ARC, and others.  The Edwards Lions Club is a member of The Canine Companion for Independence, a program for seeing-eye dogs.  Old eye glasses and sunglasses are collected and turned in to be recycled and distributed to those in need in other countries.  If you have any old glasses, contact 315-562-8228. 


If anyone has any questions or needs further information, you can access the Lions International website at
www.lcif.org.  To contact the Edwards Lions Club, you can email stonehouse@tds.net. 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR 2006-2007

 

Birthday / Anniversary Calendar to be ordered in September

 

Demolition Derby on September 23, 2006, at noon on the Lions field

 

Take fruit orders in October for delivery in November or December

 

Colored / Sepia Tone Pictures will be taken in October for delivery before Christmas

 

Donate money, toys and knit items toward the Gift Baskets given at Christmas time

 

Sell chocolate, white chocolate and sugar-free chocolate Easter Bunnies before Easter

          (Sell during March, Easter is April 8, 2007)

 

Mother’s Day Brunch on May 13, 2007 (at Edwards Fire Hall from 7:30 to 11:30 am)

 

Demolition Derby in June, 2007

 

Edwards Lions Festival in July, 2007

 

Light Bulb sales and Corn Broom sales will be taken throughout the year over the phone or by email