LIONS CLUB OF HAMILTON CENTRAL CHARTERED JULY 19, 1920

On January 10, 1920 Chas M. Anderson, field secretary of Lions International visited the City of Hamilton to meet with "live & peppy" business men with the object of forming a Lions Club that will be mutual benefit to the community. At this meeting there was every indication that this club would be the liveliest organization in the city of Hamilton.

A further inauguration meeting was held at the Royal Cannaught Hotel on June 24, 1920, with International Secretary MELVIN JONES as a special guest. It is recorded that those attending the meeting will always be pleased in remembering his Jovial smile, while on the other hand will remember his stern features when demonstrating Lionism. He delivered a very interesting and passionate address on the principles of true "Lionism" which was greatly appreciated.

The meeting gave approval for the forming of a club and the following officers were elected: President - Am. F. Bayllis, Vice- President - L. E. Nicholson, 2nd Vice-President - Wm. J. Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer- J. A. Sweeny. A unanimous roar of approval followed as the officers entered into the meeting room.

This was the beginning of "Lionism" in Canada and Hamilton Central was the 1st Lions Club to be formed in District of A-11 as known in 1978. It was the second Lions Club operating in Canada and the third Lions Club to be Chartered in Canada. It is interesting to note that the organizational meeting voted to hold weekly meetings, and this plan continued for over 60 years, and was the only club in the area to hold weekly meetings 1st 2nd & 3rd Mondays of the month the meeting started at 12:15PM and on the 4th Monday of the month meeting started at 6:15PM.

In the early years the club operated a soup-kitchen and a hostel for indigent men. This kitchen must have set some sort of a record in serving a total of three and a half million meals. During the depression years the club members assisted by their wives served several hundred meals at a time to unemployed men and women.

In 1938, the club purchased 75 acres of rolling country in Ancaster. On this land they erected 22 buildings, including 13 cabins, a dining hall, a staff cabin, 2 leader cabins, a hospital, bath and toilet units and a large outdoor swimming pool. The camp was operated by the club members until 1960, and h0liday camp periods were provided for hundreds of b0ys & girls through the Big Brothers & Big Sisters associations the Family Service Bureau and various other groups. Around 1948 - 49 Canadian National Institute for the Blind wanted to experiment with a camp for the visually impaired people. These were mostly adult men and women that came from various parts of Ontario. Many improvements were made to improve conditions at the camp for these campers who continued to use the camp for another 10 years. It was at this camp that the lesson was learned that visually impaired people could enjoy camping without danger or personal harm. It is the experience at this camp that lead to the C.N.I.B. camp at Lake Joseph, Muskoka; which was wholly founded by the Multiple District A Lions Clubs. Besides the camp support, for many years the Hamilton Lions Club has maintained repairs of radios for the visually impaired persons. Christmas baskets containing everything for a family Christmas dinner have been provided for many years for around 55 families and this project is still on going. Glasses and eye surgery have been provided for specific cases. Two members of this club served on the Hamilton Wentworth Advisory Board of the C.N.I.B., Lion Gord Stevenson being one of the members who served on this board for approx 40 years. A fully equipped "Eye-Lane" was purchased by the club for the Hamilton General Hospital in the early seventies. This club also provided 101 talking book machines for the C.N.I.B.

The club imported the first "Speech Master" training device in Canada for the deaf & hard of hearing. This equipment was passed on to the Rehabilitation Therapy Services along with View-Master Screen & Typewriters. The club provided hearing aids for needy persons and sponsored the school for the pre-school deaf & hard of hearing children. This school was unique in Canada for the marvellous work it did to prepare these physically challenged children for regular schooling.

During the war years a staff house was operated by the club along with a recreation centre. These facilities provided food and lodging for 500 wartime workers. The Lions initiated the first "pack your own lunch" bar service. It was open from 5:00 AM. till 7:00 AM. every morning to allow men to choose food for their lunch pails. This operation proved so successful it was adopted by many agencies across the country. The club also operated a "Young Convalescent Home" for the R.C.A.F. at Ancaster; organised the R.C.A.F. Cadets at Mt. Hope, met returning soldiers with smokes, candy and greetings and provided food for "Britain parcels" through Lions International. It also supported the War Amps Centre.

1956 - 57 Lion Frank Bartlett, a very enthusiastic promoter of the Canadian Association of Lions Clubs, proposed & designed a new jacket for use by all Canadian Lions. It was made by Past Canadian President Heber Merill of Lethbridge, Alberta, who operated a clothing manufacturing business. Lions across Canada proudly wore this new jacket at the International Convention in San Francisco, where it was judged as the prize winning parade costume. In 1957 - 58 Lion Frank Bartlett became the first Canadian to be the International Director of Lions International.

Hamilton Central Lions Club celebrated its 40th Anniversary on Oct. 11, 1960 with Past International President Clarence L. Sturm as the distinguished speaker. On Dec. 19, 1965 2nd International Vice President George Bird was the speaker for the 45th Anniversary. In 1970 International President Bryant was the guest speaker and the honoured guest of the anniversary was the only living Charter Member of our club "Billy" Mann who was presented with an Anniversary Plaque & Chevron by the International President. In 1980 the club celebrated its 60th Anniversary. In 1990 its 70th with Past International President Walter Fisher as the guest speaker and the 75th in 1995. Many of the members worked very hard to organise these functions such as Lions Harold Forester, Peter Hendriks, Alex Ironside, Willy Korb, Gord Spenceley, Bill Brown etc.

In 1972 the first annual T.V. Auction was held in conjuction with CHCH television station on channel 11, with club members gathering up all the merchandise to be auctioned off. Most of the articles sold were donated by businesses and companies of this area. The auction was highly successful and the proceeds from the first auction went to the Capital funds of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind workshop which employed over 70 visually impaired persons. The proceeds from future annual auctions were donated to charities such as Participation House, Dr. Rygel's Nursing Home, Children's International Learning Centre, Disabled & Aged Regional Transportation, Camp Dorset Dialysis Center, etc. A very successful Drum & Bugle Corps "Ridge Raiders" was also started from TV Auction funds in 1980 which has provided musical training to several hundreds of youngsters of the area. The club also bought electric wheel chairs for disabled, paid for orthodontic work for children with cleft palates.

In 1974 -75 club took an active roll in establishing "Participation House" a special rehabilitation centre for physically handicapped persons and the funds donated from the TV Auction was tripled by funds from various levels of governments. Also in 1975 the Hamilton Central Lions Club established a "Twinning" with Fukuyama Iyoo Lions Club of Japan and this has led to a long and close relationship. Lion June Chithalen & wife Eleanor went to Fukuyama in 1976 to complete the twinning ceremony. Several visits to and from Fukuyama has been enjoyed by all members.

In 1976 - 77 Lion June Chithalen with help from Lions Sid Pollock, Bill Ernst, Jim Whitehall, Earl Tally, Bill Milne and others arranged a joint meeting between the various municipalities that is now the Hamilton-Wentworth Region and they agreed to jointly establish a transportation system that would enable the aged and disabled members of the community to travel anywhere in the region for a very nominal charge and this was the beginning of the DARTS as we know it today.

The club now holds its meetings at the Emmaus Centre, run by the Good Shepherd Homes at 35 Aikman Ave. in Hamilton. The club helped furnish the community centre with a healthy donation.

On the 14th of October, 2000, the Lions Club of Hamilton Central is celebrating its 80th Anniversary with the Very Reverend, The Honourable Louis Wilson as our guest speaker. We are expecting a large number of members from our twin club in Fukuyama, Japan. Over the years we have had many visits from the members of the Fukuyama Iyoo Lions Club. Several of our members Lion David Tait, Lion Ken White & wife Riny, Lion Willy Korb & wife Ingrid, Lion Bob Semkow & wife Pat, Lion Bill Cumming & wife Elaine have visited Fukuyama Iyoo Club to help celebrate their 30th & 35th Anniversaries.

The club has bestowed the honour of Life Membership to Lions Paul Heming & Gord Stevenson. Melvin Jones Awards have been given to Lions June Chithalen, Paul Heming, Willy Korb, Peter Hendriks David Tait and Helen Keller Award to Lion Gord Stevenson. Our two life members though they were the oldest members in our club were also among the most active.