THE BEGINNING OF THE DECADE 1969 - 70

The six District Governors who ushered in the Decade of the Seventies were:

A.  George P. Crumbley, Jr. (Carolyn), Atlanta

B.  Roy L. Jones, Jr. (Evelyn), Douglas

C.  W. Asbury Stembridge (Charlotte), Cordele

D.  Robert A. Holbrook (Margaret), North Decatur

E.  William Ballek (Martha) Macon Southside

F.  Willard M. Prior (Sarah), Augusta

Past International Director Alcee F. Maxfield (Kathleen), Vine Angle, continued as State Secretary for the fifth year; Rupert Gay (Mildred), Millen, was reelected State Lion Tamer for the fourth time; and Eugene Sanders (Ruth), Decatur, as State Historian for the sixth time, and Boone B. Owen (Eugenia), Blackshear, was serving as President of the Past District Governors Group.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
18-A

The Atlanta Lions Club won the district contest, with all clubs making a good showing. Thirty-four club secretaries were 100%.

The Charter date of each club was recorded in the District Governor's annual report. The Rossville Lions Club sponsored the Chattanooga Valley Lions Club, chartered March 13, 1970. There were 66 Charter Member, the largest in the history of Georgia Lionism.

International President W.R. Bryan spoke at the District Rally, held in Atlanta, December 30, 1969 at the Sheraton Biltmore with 340 in attendance. There was a net increase in membership of 68 new members; July 1, 1969 there were 2,234 members; April 30, 1970 there were 2,302 members. District 18-A sold 5,655 Peach Bowl Tickets, but the Atlanta Lions Club sold 2,229 of these. District18-A sold 46% of the total number of 12,430 Peach Bowl tickets sold by Georgia Lions. Every Club in the district made a generous contribution to the Lighthouse. A specific financial report showed $7,335.32 received and $6,739.60 expended during the year, leaving $558.73 more in the treasury than at the beginning of the year.

18-B  1969 - 70

District 18-B of Georgia Multiple District 18 is located in the southeastern section of the state comprising the coastal section and including twenty-eight counties with thirty-nine Lions Clubs. In this district is Glynn county with the marshes of Glynn made famous by Sidney Lanier, as well as a Lanier County, and part of the famous Okefenokee Swamp. Down the middle of the district runs the Altamaha River important in Georgia's history and flora.

Roy L. Jones became the fourth Lion from the Douglas Lions Club to become District Governor. Elected to this high office for 1943-44 was Robert L. Cowart; 1949-50 Dr. Walter Wilson, Jr.; 1963-64 Winston Purvis, and for 1969 Roy L. Jones, Jr. (Evelyn).

Membership in the district increased from 1,549 (July 1, 1969) to 1,761 (May 15, 1970)

Over $10,000. was contributed to the Lighthouse.

All M&A Reports reached Lions International before the deadline. Twenty-four clubs contributed to Care. Two hundred and thirty-two Peach Bowl tickets were sold, and 145 Peach Bowl memberships.

Ninety-one eye donor forms were secured. Savannah organized one Leo club. Harold Preble, President of the Savannah Lions Club received the District Governor's Distinguished Service Award.

The District Governor made 97 Club visits. The sum of $1,045.53 was contributed to the Lions in Mississippi in the Hurricane Camille Disaster. District 18-B was 100% in contributions to the Lighthouse by October 19, 1969. This was the earliest any district in Georgia had ever been 100%

The sum of $240.00 was in the treasury at the beginning of the year, and $538.83 at the end. The income for the year was $3,958.70 and expenses amounted to $3,419.87.

18-C  1969 - 70

W. Asbury Stembridge, of the Cordele Lions Club was elected District Governor of District 18-C June 3, 1969 at the state convention in Macon. The Cordele Lions Club was the fourth Lions club chartered in Georgia. It was organized March 23, 1922 by J. A. Davenport with its Charter Night April 27, 1922. According to the records of Lions International its charter was cancelled November 17, 1924 and it was reorganized January 26, 1934. Its Past District Governors are B. I. Thornton 1946-47; Jack G. Comer 1951-52; Louis H. Gilbert 1957-58; and 1957-58; and M. F. Carter 1963-64. The state convention was held in Cordele in 1944, when there were only three districts in Georgia; the District Governors being: C. Hoko Sewell (A) Bremen; Robert Cowart (B) Douglas and C. C. Higginbotham (C) LaGrange in 1944.  It was from the experiences of this convention that ideas for the State Awards Committee and the State Uniform were born. This was also the first convention attended by members of the Buckhead (Atlanta) Lions Club.

The year began with 47 clubs operating in District 18-C. Two new clubs were organized during the year, and the membership was increased by a net gain of 65.

Unadilla maintained 100% attendance for the eighth consecutive year, and Americus won the Comer award for the best all round club in the District.

Americus was the second club organized in Georgia, February 23, 1921.

First International Vice President Robert D. McCullough was guest speaker at the District Assembly in Cordele. The District was 100% in affiliation with the Lighthouse, and secured 199 eye donors.

Total income for the year was $4,527.55 and the amount expended $3,108.87. The amount received from the previous administration was $947.05; passed on to the succeeding administration was $1,418.38.

18-D  1969 - 70

Calling on District 18-D to maintain. a position of leadership  the state, Robert A. Holbrook (Margaret) North Decatur, newly elected District Governor, appointed William C. Gibson, Jr. (Eloise) from his home club as Cabinet Secretary-Treasurer. Lion Gibson was to become District Governor 1974-75 and serve as State Lion Tamer 1977-79. Carl L. Donaldson (Ellen) North Dekalb, Immediate Past District Governor, was Cabinet Advisor.

With a total of 55 Lions Clubs, District 18-D had developed into a district strong in many ways, for a decade containing the top two clubs in the state. Druid Hills and North DeKalb carrying off the honors year after year was just one example of the District Governors exhortation to Maintain Leadership.

Past District Governor Willard Kimsey (Marion) Toccoa, was the second president of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Inc. from this district, Past International Director Joe B. Davis having served as president of the Lighthouse for two terms 1961-62 and 1962-63, Ken Massingale was elected president in 1979, and continues in office.

District 18-D contributed $14,495.10 to the Lighthouse during the year; $6,567.46 was spent in the District. There were 77 eye donors.

The second Peach Bowl Game generated a profit of $51,646.74. Nearly 50,000 tickets were sold; 12,430 were sold by the Lions of Georgia. Nine Clubs sold over 100 tickets each. District 18-D sold 3,434 Peach Bowl tickets.

North DeKalb won the Scrap Book contest, with Decatur in second place.

In the Annual District Governors Contest Druid Hills won first place, Toccoa second, Decatur third.

In the Membership Retention Contest the Classic City Lions Club won with no losses and a gain of 12 members, to a total membership of 34.

International President's Membership Appreciation Awards were received by District Governor Hollbrook, Cabinet Secretary-Treasurer Gibson, and Past District Governor Ed Owens, Buford Club.

Five clubs maintained 100% attendance; Brookhaven, Druid Hills, Jefferson, North Dekalb, and Toccoa. Hartwell had 99.5% and Cornelia 99.3% attendance.

Twenty-five District 18-D Lions won Membership awards in the Year 1969-70.

Receipts for the year totaled $5,483.16 with $3,761.53 expended.

18-E 1969 - 70

Lion William Ballek (Martha), Southside Macon, was elected District Governor of District 18-E in June 1969.

Past District Governor W. E. Bizzell (Libby) Griffin was elected District Librarian, and Immediate Past District Governor Harry M. Jones (Louise) Columbus became Cabinet Advisor.

Lion C. Frank Hollberg, III was Vice President of the Lighthouse, and was to become its president 1973-74 and Peach Bowl President in 1979.

Peach Bowl Directors were W. T. Cooksey, Hamilton, C. H. Orrick, Thomaston, and C. Frank Hollberg, Senoia.

NEW CLUBS

Two new clubs were added to the district making a total of 48. Bonanza Lions Club, sponsored by the Griffin Club, and the East Columbus Lions Club, sponsored by both the Columbus and the Muscogee clubs brought extension awards to Deputy District Governor Harry Davis and to President Austin Crouch in the first case, and to Lions Harry Jones and Duncan Chapman in the second.

Twenty one of the clubs increased membership and twelve had an attendance of 85% or more. Perry, Columbus, and Muscogee won the attendance plaques. Macon Southside was first in the District Contest, Warner Robins second, and Macon Vine Ingle third.

MISSISSIPPI RELIEF

In response to an appeal for aid, from the five District Governors of Multiple District 30, Mississippi, for the Lions of Mississippi hit by Hurricane Camille, 28 Clubs in the District contributed $1,900.00.

GLAUCOMA SCREENING

The first city-wide Glaucoma screening Program in Georgia was held in Macon on September 28, 1969. The Lions Clubs of Macon, with the help of ophthalmologists and many others tested 1,191 persons. Forty persons were found with suspicion of Glaucoma and 50 eye donor forms were signed. This project received a write-up in the May Issue of THE LION.

CARE

The District was again 100% in the Care program. Each club contributed at least $5.00 per club to this cause.

OUTSTANDING BLIND AWARD

This award is presented each year, at the State Convention, to a blind person for some outstanding achievement of unusual service performed for community or club.

The winner of this award this year was Lion Jack Lewis from the Macon Southside Lions Club, for an admirable list of accomplishments in Education, Employment and Professional Associations.

FOUNDERS MEMBERSHIP GROWTH AWARD

This award is given to a club that has a NET increase of 12 or more members during the year, May 31, 1969 to May 31, 1970. Only one club was able to win this award. This club was Stockbridge Lions Club, with an increase of 15 members.

Vine Ingle Macon Lions Club won the Herschel McElroy Award for Eye Donors. Sixteen clubs enlisted 154 donors.

Past District Governor R. Shaefer Heard (Janie), 1944-45 West Point, had already received his Key of State (75 members). Lion Heard has 85 new members to his credit, as District Governor Lion Heard shared in launching the State Awards program and the State Uniform in 1944-45. He has since received many honors for his civic contributions, among which stands as a monument the new West Point Dam on the Chattahoochee protecting West Point and environs. A Charter member of the West Point Lions Club, organized in April 1336, he maintained perfect attendance. Since serving as District Governor, he has served a term 1963-65 in the Georgia State Senate. He has been cited by the Chamber of Commerce for his record of outstanding contributions to the community, and in April 1968 was presented the Outstanding Civilian Service Award by the United States Army. In 1971 he was presented a scroll by the West Point Lions Club "for thirty-five years of outstanding service to his community through Lionism".

WISHING WELLS

Twenty-four clubs in the district purchased Wishing Wells, as a means of collecting funds for the Lighthouse.

An important feature of the District Governors' Annual Report was a list of activities and projects for all the clubs in the District - a helpful and enlightening source of suggestions for other clubs. These afford good Public Relations.

There were six Zone Socials. All clubs participated in the Lighthouse program donating $10,679.38.Total spent in District 18-E was $10,970.00.

There were 20 presidents and 27 secretaries 100%.

District 18-E sold 1,300 Peach Bowl Tickets.

Lion member Dennis McBride of Willingham Senior High school, Macon, represented Multiple District 18 at Lion International's Second World Youth Congress in Atlantic City June 29, 1970.

FINANCES

Received from the previous administration was the sum of $1,034.45. Total receipts for the year: $6,538.95. Amount Expended, $5,342.13.

18-F 1969 - 70

Willard W. Prior (Sarah) Augusta was elected District Governor at the State Convention, and F. Hughes Willingham, District Governor 1959-60 Lincolnton, was elected District Librarian. The new District Governor appointed Walker L. Dupree (Helen) as Cabinet Secretary-Treasurer and Olin C. Newby (Rosemary), Washington as Cabinet Advisor.

District 18-F wound up the year with 40 clubs and a membership of 1,120 including the new Danville-Allentown Lions Club sponsored by the Club in Dexter, and chartered May 9, 1970.

Well attended cabinet meetings were held in Washington, Swainsboro, Augusta, and Covington.

District 18-F was the fourth district in the state to go 100% in its support of the Lighthouse during the year.

In the district contest, Louisville won first place, Sylvania second, and Midville third. Five Clubs, Midville, National Hills, Martinez-Evans, Dublin, and Glascock County lost no members during the year. The first two clubs named won the Rex Award, and the other three a certificate award. Thirty clubs received new members.

There was participation in the Peach Bowl Princess contest; the Waynesboro Lions Club sponsoring the district princess, Miss Gail Hilliard. Several clubs contributed to the Eye Bank, and there were seven Membership Keys received in the District.

District 18-F was saddened by the passing of fifteen Lions who contributed mightily to their communities and to their fellowman through Lionism. Among them was Past District Governor Henry M. Willis 1956-57, of Washington, whose steady, consistent dedication to Lionism, along with others in this noble company, advanced the principles of Service and the Objects of Lionism.

This was the year, these the Lions, and their deeds--but the DECADE OF THE SEVENTIES was already here!!

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