The History of Sterling Lions Club
On June 20, 1920, 15 men attended a meeting to hear about Lionism from an organizer of Lions Clubs and the District
Governor of Texas and Louisiana, G. M. Cunningham. Five days later, the first official meeting was held and the new
club was formed with L.G. Giacomini elected as president. The official charter date is June 22, 1920.
Initially, the club met at the Great Western Hotel, then moved to the Episcopal Church, and on March 29, 1921, moved
to the new Graham Hotel. After meeting at several more locations, the club moved to the Elks Club and has been
meeting there since.
In 1922, the club built two tennis courts at N. 3rd and Poplar (where the post office now stands). Other construction
projects included the gateway into Riverside Cemetery; marble monument at Summit Springs Battleground; Campfire
Girls Lodge (now the Girl Scouts Lodge); Little League ball park; and a “Lion’s Park” on Division Ave. Among the
past and current projects are the Annual Lions Easter Egg Hunt; Annual City Halloween Party; donation of Christmas
baskets to the needy; cleaning up and repair of tables at Pioneer Park; contribution to the Gary DeSoto Youth building; furnishing of the maternity ward at Logan County Hospital; sponsoring the “Friendly Dog Tail Wagging Contest”; buying glasses for needy children; provision for two annual scholarships to NJC; support the Lions Camp for the Handicapped and the Lions Eye Bank; recognition of outstanding students from Caliche and Sterling Middle Schools and the GED Program at NJC; “Adopt A Highway” clean-up; purchase of “talking books”; support of the Girl Scout Program; sponsor of the Health Fair, and the adoption of Ayres School.
The first broom sale was held April 19-26, 1952, with proceeds of $800 donated to the Logan County Hospital.
The first Cowboy Breakfast was held in 1952 and is still an annual event, which kicks off the Logan County Fair. In 2000 the
first Pioneer Award was presented. It has been an anticipated tradition since that time.
In 2001, the Club began a partnership with the Sterling Correctional Facility and Logan Industries in preparing used glasses
to be sent all over the world. Glasses from clubs throughout the state come to the Sterling Lions for processing. Currently,
the partners process about 1,500 pair of glasses each week.
The first Pancake Night for Sight was held in 2005, and is a fundraiser for all of our sight and hearing projects.
In 2007, members of the club built the mega-grill which has proven to be a major source of funds. The Club is called upon to cook hamburgers and pancakes many times a year including Pancake Night for Sight and the Cowboy Breakfast, as well as the July 4 Heritage Festival, Flatlanders Car Show and many other events. When the City opened the new Prairie Park in 2008, the Lions Club donated the clock tower and the covered horseshoe pits which were dedicated to Lion Chesley Harris. In 2013, the club added the Hearing Aid Recycling Bank and the Reading Action Program to our projects.
During the Centennial Year of the Lions, 2017, International issued a challenge for all clubs to create a Legacy Project in their community.
The Sterling Lions erected a Flagpole in Prairie Park, beside the bench and the clock we put in earlier. When Lion Ted Berg passed away in 2017 an “Egg” sculpture was put up in Columbine Park as a memorial to Ted & all Past Lions who worked so hard on the Annual Easter Egg Hunt.
To celebrate and honor the life of Lion Dorothy Graber the Lions donate money to her memorial fund at the City of Sterling to buy and plant eight 3” diameter trees at Monahan Park, helping them celebrate Arbor Day 2019.
The Club has over 100 years of living the motto “We Serve”.
MISSION STATEMENT
TO CREATE AND FOSTER a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation.
Our Name
The “Lions” proper name is:
“The International Association of Lions Clubs.”
The Emblem
A large letter “L” standing for Law-Liberty-Labor-Loyalty-
Love-Life-Lions; on a circle representing the Lions and Lions Clubs all bound together into one; Lions’ profiles looking two ways, representing a Lion looking in every direction for an opportunity to give unselfish service, with the word “Lions” at the top representing the Association, and the word “International” at the bottom indicating it is an International Association. It is the un-written obligation of every Lion to wear and display his emblem with pride.
The Slogan: “Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation’s Safety.”
LIONS CODE OF ETHICS
SHOW my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.
SEEK success and demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self respect lost because of a questionable act on my part.
REMEMBER that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another’s; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.
WHENEVER a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards my fellow man, to resolve such doubt against myself.
HOLD friendship as an end and not as a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of service performed by
one to another, but that friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
ALWAYS bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state and my community, and to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act and deed; to give them freely of my time, labor and means.
AID my fellow men by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
BE CAREFUL with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.