History of Georgia Lions 1964-1965

IN MEMORIAM

LION IVAN H. JACKSON
1914 - 1964

Lion Ivan H. Jackson, 51, was born in Dalton, Ga., in 1914 and died Thursday, July 30, 1964, at his home in Austell. He is survived by his wife, the former Miss Irma Bell of Cartersville.

He became a member of the Cartersville Lions Club in 1944, served as its president, 1947-48, and was elected District Governor in 1951. In 1958 he was sponsored by the Lions of Georgia and elected International Director at the International Convention in Chicago. He served as International Director, 1958-1960.

A beloved citizen of his community, he took an active part in many worthwhile drives and organizations. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner, being a worthy Patron, Cartersville Order of the Eastern Star and a trustee of the Eastern Star Home in Atlanta. He was a member of the Cartersville Elks Lodge, and a past president of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a steward in the Sam Jones Memorial Methodist Church and was active in the Boy Scout program for many years and served as President of the Northwest Georgia Council.

An electrical engineer, he joined the Georgia Power Co. in 1935, located in Cartersville in 1940, and since 1963 served as manager of the Austell district.

Ivan H. Jackson had an unparalleled career career of dedication and devotion to the highest ideals of Lionism and the betterment of the lot of his fellowman. He served with distinction both on the local, district, and International level. The month of his death he and Irma attended the International Convention in Canada, and as International Director they visited the Scandinavian countries, and many European capitals.

It was the warm and kindly traits of his compassionate nature which so endeared him to all with whom he came in contact, and which fitted him so admirably for his distinguished leadership in a life devoted to service. He raised the standards of Lionism to noble heights, and set an example which all dedicated Lions may well emulate.

Joseph B. Davis, of the Decatur Club, was elected unanimously by the 44th Annual State Convention as Georgia’s candidate for International Director at the 1966 International Convention in New York.

A Lion since 1938, he is a key member, has served as President, District Governor, International Counselor, and two terms as President of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Inc., during which phenomenal advance was made financially and our Eye Bank was activated.

He has a record of perfect attendance throughout his entire membership, and has attended 24 State Conventions and 13 International Conventions.

He has been an active participant in church, fraternal, civic, business, and community activities throughout his life, and few men have rendered such outstanding service to Lionism.

International Counselor Jake Wolffe, of Bainbridge, has just completed a term as Liaison Officer for the state, previous to which he had served on the Executive Council of the International Board of Governors.

The longtime desire of Georgia Lionism to have its own State Secretary was realized when the growth of Georgia Lionism permitted the .fortunate engagement of Past International Director Alcee F. Maxfield, of Lake Charles, La.

He joined the Lake Charles Club in 1948, ‘sponsored by his brother, and has had perfect attendance ever since. In 1953 he was president of the club, District Governor in 1954. and International Director 1959-61. He holds three International President’s awards, three extension awards, and the 100% District Governor’s award.


STANLEY R. KELLEY District Governor 18-A East Marietta	JACK G. DURRENCE District Governor 18-B Port City (Savannah)	FRANK C. VANN District Governor 18-C Camila

SAM B. WILSON District Governor 18-D Athens	WILLIAM E. BIZZELL District Governor 18-E Griffin	RUPERT GAY District Governor 18-F Millen
These are the elected leaders to whom Georgia Lionism is indebted for the efficient and effective leadership of Multiple District 18 through a year of splendid progress.

1965						1954
District	No. Clubs	No. Members	New Clubs	Net Gain	100% Att.	Clubs	Members
A	43	2104	2	155		70	3516
B	44	1502			1	56	2142
C	46	1657	1	55	2	49	1918
D	51	1826	3	137	4	50	1996
E	44	1950	2	57
F	38	1303	1
Totals	266	10342	9	191	7	225	9572
(Membership Figures from Int. records through May 31, 1965)

Georgia Lionism now has 266 Lions Clubs with 10,342 members, a net gain over last year of 6 new clubs and 375 members. The fact that in ten years we have gained 41 clubs but only some 660 members seems to show an apparent trend requiring thought and planning. This, and the relatively high drop-out rate among members affords a challenge. Securing a State Secretary, therefore, appears to be a most fortunate response to this trend.

District A apparently leads in membership keys, with fourteen received, while District F is a close second with twelve, with a number in the other districts.

There have been many District rallies and anniversaries, bringing a large number of the International Family into Georgia Districts C, D, E, and F had rallies, and in addition to the eight Charter Nights, numerous anniversaries were celebrated.

Second Vice President Edward Lindsay, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., spoke at the rally in District D, and also in District C. International Directors Homer L. Hoover, of Wooster, Ohio, and Jorge Bird, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, were the official guests at the rally in District E. 18-F held its first rally in Augusta, with Past President Edwin G. Barry, of Little Rock, Ark., and Georgia’s own Past International Director Marvin G. Pound, Sr., as speakers.

Clubs celebrating their 30th anniversary are: Ashburn, Shellman, Edison, Lumpkin and Tifton. Blakely celebrated its 25th, with International Director Edwin Yeary, Lexington, Ky., the speaker; Hawkinsville its 25th, with International Director B. M. Stone, Jr., of Baton Rouge, La., as speaker; Towns County its 25th, with International Director Yeary as speaker. Athens held its fortieth anniversary celebration with First Vice President Walter H. Campbell, now president, of Miami Beach, Fla., as the honored guest.

The year proved to be the best in the history of the Lighthouse, with every district in the state being 100% in membership, their donations amounting to $53,35’7.34, with an additional $5,115.91 in lieu of flowers. It has dispensed 570 pairs of glasses, paid 180 hospital bills, and furnished 19 artificial eyes, in addition to many other services, to a total cost of $30,436.45.

While its assets have reached the creditable sum of $138,148.45, it must be borne in mind that it has available for services only the income from this trust fund. Thus with its ever-increasing usefulness, this finest endeavor of Georgia Lions needs and deserves the full support of all Georgia Lions. The Eyebank has received 1230 eye-donation forms, and has actually received 70 eyes, 11 of which were shipped to other needy areas, 7 used for research, and the remainder used for transplants in Georgia.

The Decatur Lions Club donated $1,000.00 to Wesley Homes to furnish a room in honor of former State Historian Percy H. Plant, and Young Harris College has just completed a Fine Arts Building and Library, which will be dedicated at an early date to former International Counselor Charles R. Clegg.

An award is not a reward. An award is a congratulatory mark of distinction, but the reward lies in the effect accruing to the club through the effort.

At the state convention there were 241 applications for cup awards from 36 clubs, an average of 6.7 for the clubs filing applications, but an average of only .9 for the state as a whole.

Waycross won the Monroe Plaque, being the only club meeting every week to maintain lOO%, attendance. Cordele was second. The West Point Plaque for best attendance among the clubs meeting twice a month had six 100% winners: Alapaha, Jefferson, Tucker, North DeKalb, Toccoa, and Unadilla. Sylvania won second place.

For best single activity, Druid Hills won the Decatur Cup, with Toccoa second. The District Governors’ Plaque for the best all-round club in the state was won by the North DeKalb Club over Druid Hills, which had won the cup for the past seven consecutive years. This is North DeKalb’s third winning of the award.

An increasing number of club bulletins are being published, and the great service such an organ can render a club is increasingly necessary. Its educational and functional value as an organizational aid leads to greater effort to increase the quality and value of Lionism.

Columbus sold more than $14,000 worth of brooms, Senoia and Cross Keys cleared over $1,000 on candy, La Vista gave $2,010 to the Lighthouse, Ellenwood organized a Fire Department and built a Community House and ball field, Boynton put on a horse show, Augusta examined the eyes of 445 children and provided 249 pairs of glasses, the Druid Hills Club conducted its Annual Manual Arts Fair and the Mountain Fair at Hiawassee was started by the area Lions clubs. A number of Lions clubs in District C supported the Sheriffs’ Boys’ Ranch. Vine Ingle (Macon) made $5,102.50 Radio Week.

District D had three new clubs: Classic City (Athens), Henderson Mill (DeKalb) , and Loganville. Two new clubs were chartered in District A: Piedmont and West Cobb. A new club was chartered at Baconton in District C, another in District F at Sardis, and in District E clubs were chartered at Roberta (Crawford Co.) and at Ideal.

IN MEMORIAM

WADE H. WRIGHT - 1878 - 1964

International Counselor Wade H. Wright was born
August 8, 1878 at Panthersville, Ga. He joined the
Atlanta Lions Club in 1927, served as President 1934-36,
and was elected District Governor in 1939. Vice Pres-
ident of the Georgia Power Co., he died September 11, 1964.

Its Origin . . .

Its Organization . . .

Its Purpose . . .

Hughes Willingham, President of the Lighthouse in 1965, called together five active Georgia Lions in the fall of that year, to discuss the possibility of bringing a major post-season collegiate bowl game to Georgia. These men were Max Preston, Special Projects Chairman for the Lighthouse; Jim Corbett, Executive Director of the Lighthouse; Sim Manning; D. C. (Jack) Jackson, Jr.; and George Crumbley.

It was decided by these people that we should pursue this possibility for a project for the Lighthouse. The Committee requested and received permission to appear before the Extra Events Committee of the NCAA in January, 1966, in Washington, D. C. There had been a moratorium on additional bowl games for several years and it was not lifted that year. In January, 1967, the Committee requested and received permission to appear again in Houston, Texas, for a post-season bowl game under the Lighthouse sponsorship. That year, the Committee was expanded by the new President of the Lighthouse, Sim Manning, to include Dr. Froncie Gutman, who was head of the Lions Eye Bank and who had played football at Purdue in the 1950’s. Again, the petition was denied and the moratorium continued in effect.

Persistent and determined, the Committee worked tirelessly to strengthen its case and in January, 1968, Sim Manning, Dr. Froncie Gutman, and George Crumbley represented the Committee in New York and made a third presentation to the Extra Events Committee of the NCAA. In April, 1968, the Extra Events Committee recommended to the NCAA Council that the Peach Bowl be certified as a major postseason collegiate football bowl with the first game to be played in December, 1968.

Since the Lighthouse Charter does not permit sponsorship of an event of this kind, the Executive Committee of the Lighthouse chartered the Peach Bowl, Inc., to administer the Bowl with all profits generated to go to the Lighthouse for eye research and sight conservation.

The Executive Committee of the Lighthouse names the Directors of the Peach Bowl. They serve for three years with approximately l/3 of them coming up each year for rotation or re-election. The present Directors include, among others, Past Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Lighthouse, Past International Directors, and Past District Governors.

The officers of the Peach Bowl are elected by the Peach Bowl Directors each year.

The day-to-day activities of the Bowl are regulated by an Executive Committee named by the Peach Bowl Board of Directors and are administered by an Executive Director.

Quoting from the Peach Bowl Charter, "The principal object of the corporation is to generate funds for the Lighthouse; to aid in the preservation of sight and the prevention of blindness; to conduct research into the causes of eye deficiency and failure; and to aid the blind."

Lions International