Lions celebrate 100 years in Charles City with ceremony

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Exactly 100 years later, the Charles City Lions Club is still going strong.

“Thank you to the citizens of Charles City for supporting your local Lions Club over the last 100 years,” current Lions Club President Dean Tjaden said. “Without your support, your pride in Charles City and the spirit that lives in all of you, none of this would have been possible.”

The Lions held a formal private function on Sunday evening at the Elks Lodge, and the public was invited to a dedication of the new Central Park Flagpole Memorial at Central Park on Monday. Tjaden emceed both events, and Monday’s dedication included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Charles City Ambassadors.

Tjaden said that the citizens of Charles City have actively participated in Lions fundraising efforts over the years, which has enabled the Lions to return 96% of their fundraising dollars to the community.

“In serving our local community, the Lions Club today is making a gift of this beautiful Central Park Flagpole Memorial to the city of Charles City and its fine citizens,” Tjaden said.

The dedication included a flag-raising ceremony, as the United States flag, the Iowa flag and the Floyd County flag were hoisted at the site of Lions Club’s “Century Project” in Central Park. Justin Heyer played trumpet as the flags were raised. The Floyd County flag will fly until a newly created Charles City flag is available.

As part of the project, plaques were installed at the base of the new flagpoles that commemorate the lives lost in the 1968 tornado, as well as the Lions and the Charles City Women’s Club, which also contributed to the project. The plaques are lighted with LED lights.

Pastor Russ Leeper of St. John Lutheran Church presented the invocation, Iowa Lions District Governor Darwin Meyer presented a short speech, and there was a formal proclamation made by Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews.

“The Charles City Lions Club, over the past 100 years, has been graciously embraced by the community and as a result, has been fortunate enough to be able to assist people and organizations because of tireless fundraising opportunities,” Andrews said. “Today, on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Charles City Lions Club, we take this opportunity to thank the entire community for being outstanding, civic-minded citizens and being so supportive of your local Lions Club #4068 over the past 100 years.”

Vickey Putney, president of the Charles City Women’s Club, placed a memorial wreath on the site along with former Lions Club President Mike Brown. The wreath included 13 white roses, representing each of the 13 people who were killed during the 1968 tornado. The Lions Club had saved and refurbished the plaque that the Charles City Women’s Club had installed at the base of the original flagpole in 1969.

The Charles City Lions Club is currently about 50 members strong. The service group works to support the community by providing eyeglasses for students in the local school district, raising money for hearing aids, community projects, Eagle Scout projects, the school lunch program, TLC: The Learning Center, the Food Bank, the Fine Arts Century Club, the Sports Complex and numerous other groups.

The Lions Club came about nationally in 1917, when Melvin Jones, a 38-year-old Chicago business leader, told members of his local business club they should reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities and the world. The first national convention of the “Association of Lions Clubs” was held in Dallas, Texas, in October of that year.

In March of 1921, Harry Tait, a Lion in a recently formed club from Mason City, arranged for and met with a small group of Charles City businessmen and shared his thoughts about the merits and benefits of having an active “service organization” guiding a community into and through the 20th century.

Merrill G. Smith Sr. was elected the first Charles City Lions Club president that year. Tait attended along with 25 charter members. On Jan. 20, 1922 the Charles City Lions Club officially adopted a constitution and by-laws as required by the international organization.