Chartered 1950 Next Meeting: April 6, 2015 “We Serve”

College Station Noon Lions Club

Week of March 23, 2015

Quarter Century of CSNL Women By PDG John Rauser

onday we celebrated 25 years of women in our club and honored the courageous women who were

the first to step up and take their place among dedicated community servants.

Women have brought commitment, fun, spirit and soul to our Lions club.

Lions Clubs International was officially founded in 1917.

In 1925 Helen Keller addressed the International Convention of Lions and challenged them to become the

“Knights of The Blind.” She and her teacher and companion Anne Sullivan were honored as the “First Lady of

Lionism” and “Second Lady of Lionism” respectively.

It was Helen Keller’s challenge that united all of the Lions Clubs in existence at that time under a common

cause that ultimately resulted in Lions becoming the largest service organization in the world.

Isn’t it interesting that a woman provided the spark that got us to where we are today, but women weren’t

officially recognized until 1975 when the Lioness Program began? Even it was a separate organization, and

their members were not allowed to vote or hold offices at the district or International level.

It wasn’t until 1987 that women were finally approved for full membership by Lions Clubs International. It was

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CELEBRATING WOMEN. The first lady of Aggieland, Reveille VIII, joined past and present women Lions Monday as

the club celebrated 25 years of women in the club.

All Things Chocolat’ is tonight,

5-8 pm. Brazos Center. $20

the first service club organization to admit women.

Lion Dave Ruesink was club president in 1985–86 and was involved in the discussion of accepting women as members. When LCI approved membership for women, they left it up to the clubs to decide if they wanted to admit them. Even though it was approved in 1987, our club did not invite women until late 1989. Here is what Lion Ruesink said about those events.

When that was brought to our Club, PDG Freddy Wolters was very forceful with his statement that we did not have any business admitting women in our Club. There was already a Club (Lioness) with which women could affiliate if they wanted to be a Lion. A few months later (about six months if memory serves me correctly), Freddy brought five or six women to the Club saying that if we were to have women; it was not fair to have just one or two. From that time on, we have had women in the Club, and what a blessing they have been.

ur first women members were not inducted until October 1989 when five brave women became the first to join our club. Back then, membership records were kept on paper, and the only one of the five that LCI has record of is Lion Pattie Sears. The only information we have on those early members comes

from the collective memories of some of us “old-timers.” We’re fairly certain that those first five were Lions Sears, Dinny Lucas, Joy Cooper and her sister Debbie Andrick along with Mary Jane (Lay) Petty. I was a member of the club during that time, but it was before I became a member of the board so I was not involved in the discussions about admitting women. Folklore has it that Lion Wolters was opposed to admitting women and was the main obstacle to admitting them. But he and Lion Billy Lay were the first to bring women into our club. Our president in 1989 was Lion Larry Wilson. Lion John Nichols reached out to him last week to ask if he could be here today. Unfortunately, Wilson could not, but he sent us a message and asked that we read it.

I regret that I won’t be able to join you for the Celebration next Monday, but I will be with you in spirit! Please share the following greeting with the club as you see fit: Greetings from Mesquite, Texas and Eastfield College! I am so proud to have been associated with a group of forward-thinking Lions who shared a commitment to open the club to women. Twenty-five years ago we believed that adding women to the membership would result in new energy, fresh ideas and bold new leadership. More importantly, we understood that it was the right thing to do. The fact that twenty-five years later you can look around this Celebration and see a diverse group of professionals united in service to the community is quiet testimony to the validity of that vision. For those who were in the club then, congratulations on starting on this important journey. For those who have joined since then, congratulations on staying the course. Enjoy the Celebration and know that you have my utmost admiration and respect. Gratefully and sincerely, Larry Wilson, M.A., SPHR Interim Vice President for Organizational Development Eastfield College

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After those first women were inducted others began to follow. The very next month Lion Jo Ann Hopson became a member. From the very beginning Jo Ann has been one of our most active members and has participated in almost every club activity. Lion Petty was our first female officer when she served the club as treasurer. She was also one of the first woman to receive a Jack Weich Fellowship that she earned during the Sight First Campaign in 1989. There were several other women who became active around that time. Lion Sharon Galvin was very active and served the club as Tail Twister. Lion Jennifer Bohac served as our first female president. Lion Laura Hampton was another early member that I recall, and she served as Tail Twister as well. Lion April West joined our club and served with us in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I especially remember working with April on the first and last CSNL Christmas Parade float as well as Kyle Field Concessions and July 4th. Lion Laura (Susie) Striegler joined the club in 1999 and served in several capacities, including song leader. She was the co-chair of the district eyeglass recycling/sight conservation committee in 2006-07. Lion Susie died Nov. 24, 2014. There have been many other women who have made an impact on our club. Although we can’t remember their

names, we remember them.

There are currently have 32 women who are members of our club. Nine of them hold Melvin Jones

Fellowships, and 11 of them are Jack Weich Fellows.

Slate for 2015-16 Officers, Directors Announced Lion President Caleb Holt announced the following slate to lead the club for the year beginning July 1. The election is April 13.

President Lion Diane Jones Meier 1st Vice President Lion Loren Skow 2nd Vice President Lion Bill Lartigue

3rd Vice President Lion Richard Spiller Secretary Lion Ralph Cruzan

Treasurer Lion Don Bailey

One-Year Directors Lions Karl Mooney, Carl Stewart and Bonnie McGee

Two-Year Directors Lions Melissa Garza, Clint Hoffman and Ray Naylor

Tail Twisters Rick Hill and PDG Danny Stribling

Lion Tamer Lion Teresa Vinzant Asst. Lion Tamer Lion Michael Choi

Song Leader Lion Diane Holt Past President Lion Caleb Holt

ROSES HONOR WOMEN. Lion Joe West presents roses to past and

present women members of CSNL. Current members also received a

Helen Keller commemorative pin.

Meet Your Fellow Lion

By Lion Melissa Garza

et’s continue our celebration of women in the College Station Noon Lions Club by meeting JoAnn Ledlow-Hobson.

JoAnn moved to College Station in 1983 when her youngest daughter was a freshman at TAMU. When her first husband, James Ledlow, passed away at a young age (50), she took charge of raising their six children – all of whom are Aggies – WHOOP! She spent 18 years as a librarian at the Career Center where she cared for all the materials for companies that came to interview students for jobs. She met Phil Hobson while her youngest son was going through treatments for a head injury he received in a motorbike accident in 1985. He was seriously injured when a girl pulled out in front of him on University Drive when he was headed back to campus. “Phil was so very nice and helpful that I couldn’t help but be attracted to him. He was president of the C.S. Noon Lions Club when we first started dating. We were married August 7, 1988.”

Together, JoAnn and Phil have 10 children, 27 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Her family is such a blessing. JoAnn began serving in the club by participating in trash pick-up before women were allowed to join. She joined our club as soon as they allowed women Lions. JoAnn is still going strong, and tried to participate in as many projects as possible—trash pick-up, Christmas tree sales, Honoring Our Heroes, July 4th celebration, and work days at the Children’s Camp. Look for JoAnn at our next meeting. She sometimes fills in as the Lion Tamer and always sits with Phil.

Board notes Jazz Fest Chair Lion Richard Phelps reports six bands signed up so far — more expected. City of Bryan

offered Palace Theater at no charge. Board approved $3,000 for the fundraiser. . . . Board discussing possible dues increase or administrative budget cut. Current budget based on average weekly attendance of 85 —actual number close to 100. Give suggestions to Lion President Caleb Holt or 1st VP Lion Diane Jones Meier.

“If you are eating lunch on Monday, you can’t do it with a better crowd for less than $10,” says Lion Holt. . . . Club membership: 155. . . . Honoring Our Heroes generated approximately $4,000 for our club. Next HOH event is Feb. 26, 2016. . . . PDG John Rauser reports increased requests for eyeglass assistance. . . . Lion Judy LeUnes to be honored during live telecast Monday April 27 at 6:30 pm. She was nominated by CSNL and is first nominee by a civic organization for a Jefferson Award.

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JOANN

HOBSON

Register for the State Convention before April 15 and save.

http://convention.texaslions.org/2015-college-

station/registration/

30 5th Monday. No regular meeting. New member orientation. Noon. C&J Barbecue in Bryan.

30 6-8 pm. Monthly club social. Café Eccell.

6 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker: Billy Rice & Jennifer Worchester, PHI Air Medical

9-11 Jazz Fest 2015. Palace Theater.

11 District 2-S5 Convention. Giddings.

13 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker: Dr. Lori Taylor, “A New Map for Poverty.”

20 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker: Lion Bob Anderson, “Life Lessons Learned from 50 Years of Automation”

23 CSNL Board meeting. Noon.

27 Business Meeting. Noon. Hilton.

4 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker Caleb Holt, “Texas Lions Camp”

11 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker: Bob French, singing weatherman

14 CSNL Board meeting.

18 Business Meeting. Noon. Hilton.

21-23 MD-2 Texas State Lions Convention, Hilton, College Station

25 Memorial Day. No meeting

29 Rolls Royce raffle. Brazos County Expo Ballroom

1 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker: Dr. Deb Zoran, “Ebola and Animals.”

8 Tail Twister Party. No regular meeting.

15 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Annual necrology service

18 CSNL Board meeting.

22 Evening meeting. Dinner and new officer installaltion. 6-9 pm.

29 5th Monday. No meeting.

6 Meeting. Noon. Hilton.

13 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker Red Cashion, former NFL referee.

20 Meeting. Noon. Hilton. Speaker TBA.