Bluffton Indiana Lions Club

1947 - 2001

It is with deep sorrow we report the loss
of Lion Bill Trubey on September 6, 2001.
Bill, Past DG of 25-B and Past President
of our Bluffton Lions Club, was well-known
throughout the state. His work with
Lions Eye Bank and the organization of many
medical missionary trips to Central America
will not be forgotten.

Celebrating our 54th continuous year of Community Service

This is our 54th Anniversary year- the club was chartered in 1947. Our meetings were held at the Dutch Mill Restaurant on the Banks of the Wabash, in Bluffton, every Tuesday evening at 6:15 for the first 51 years.

A disastrous early morning fire on January 5, 1998 completely destroyed the popular Dutch Mill Restaurant, whose roots went back 51 years, concurrently with our Lions Club.

The Ossian and Berne Lions Clubs (Indiana) came to our rescue. Ossian gave us song books to keep us singing, and the Berne Club presented a new club banner
with a standard. The banner included patches, all lost in the fire.
Our sincere appreciation to both clubs for their thoughtfulness.

We now meet at 6:30 PM on the first and third Tuesday of the month (except June, July, and August when there is only one meeting per month, (on the third Tuesday) at the Corner Depot Restaurant located at Harrison Plaza, south edge of Bluffton.

Lion Don Weezep and Lion Lance Leak from the Whyalla and Fort Pirie Lions Clubs in South Australia made a stopover visit in Bluffton during their trip to the 1998 Lions International Convention in Birmingham, England. Over 50 attended an open house to meet and welcome them, held at the beautifully restored turn-of-the-century home of Lion Alan Daugherty and his wife Regina. The "down under" Lions received keys to the city from Bluffton Mayor Ted Ellis. Their visit was occasioned as a result of the Internet purchase of our 50th Anniversary club pin (see below) and the following exchange of E-mail messages between the clubs. We are pleased to have the Whyalla Mount Laura Lions Club as our Twin Club, sharing communications, ideas, and friendships.

Some of our Community Projects:

Eye Glasses for needy students
Cancer Control Project
Hearing Screening
River Greenway Cleanup
College Scholarships
Leader Dog Program
Financial Aid to:

Panos Free Clinic
Diabetes Children's Camp
Lions Park

        The Bluffton Lions will continue the popular Travelogue series, formerly sponsored by the Bluffton Kiwanis Club for many years.   That club recently dissolved and asked the Lions to sponsor the program.
        Season tickets for the six outstanding programs for the 2001 - 2002 season, beginning in October 2001, are now avaulable.   All programs are presented at the Bluffton Middle School on Thursday evenings, 7:30 PM.
    Oct. 18    Autumn Odysey - Alaska to the Keys
    Nov. 15   Israel: Stories from the Holy Land
    Dec. 13 Alpng the New River (Secong oldest river on earth)
    Jan. 24 Holland
    Feb. 28 The Real World of Western Europe
    Mar. 21 Baja RV Adventure

We sincerely appreciate the support of our Community, helping us raise money for local worthwhile projects

Are you interested in becoming a part of this Community Service Organization?

Contact any LION or Lion Jeff Hewitt at 219-824-3496. The motto of our club and Lions International is "WE SERVE".

Our Current Fund Raising Projects

We are teaming up with the Ossian Lions Club to provide the entire funding for the construction materials to build a Habitat for Humanity home for a handicapped person in Wells County. Looking forward to the annual (102nd) Bluffton Free Street Fair, September 17 to 22, Blufffton Lions will be selling Apple Dumplings as usual. Look for us in a trailer this year in the 100 block of West Market Street. All net proceeds are used to fund community projects, for the benefit of our community.

Officers - 2001 - 2002

President - Ted Showalter
Immediate Past President - Jim Phelps
1st Vice President - Bill Trubey---------2nd Vice President - Jeff Hewitt
3rd Vice President -
Secretary - Jim Foster ------ Treasurer - Barbara Elliott
Lion Tamer - Barb Trubey -------------- Tail Twister - Bill Fryback
Bulletin Editors - Tom & Marge Antrim

Director 2001-2002 - Ralph Nowak
Director 2001-2003 - Mike Kracium
Director 2001-2004 - Lin Harrold
Membership - Jeff Hewitt (04) Chairman
Ken Engle (02) - Scott Gilliam (03)

Publicity - Alan Daugherty
Committees
Mints - Barbara Trubey
Travelogue - Lin Harrold
                     Dean Engle
Apple Dumplin' Chiefs - Jeff Hewitt
                                             Marge Antrim
                                          Tom Antrim
                                         Dean Engle

Zone Chairman
Lin Harrold

Our Award Winning Pin

(Sorry - our pin order of 300 is sold out)

Our 50th Anniversary club pin was submitted in the International Trading Pins Competition at the 1997 Lions International Convention in Philadelphia. It was awarded FIRST PLACE in the Lions Clubs Pins category. Other categories included Lions District Pins, Lions Multiple District Pins, etc.

The objects that can be seen around the base of the mill (our club has met at the Dutch Mill restaurant in Bluffton for the last 50 years) represent our many community service projects and the fund raising programs. The figure that might look like a wheel is a grapefruit half. We do sell Oranges and Grapefruit each fall. And at the bottom, of course, are the years - 1947 and 1997. This pin was designed by our own Lion Alan Daugherty.

Visit this site for a history of our county

Wells County History

Try these Lion Links

If you have comments, suggestions, or question, e-mail me at pbender@parlorcity.com

Our appreciation to Parlor City Internet , and Only Internet, the premier Internet Server Providers for 10 area counties which inclide Wells, Adams, Allen, Jay, Blackford, andHuntington Counties. They provide this web space for the Bluffton Lions Club as a public service.

Updated to 9/3/2001

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