Last Tuesday night, the Poulan City Council met and the first order of business was Mayor Dustin Grubb signing a proclamation declaring “that the 10th day of October and every year thereafter on the 10th of October as ‘Lions Club Day’ in the City of Poulan. This action was in reference to the Poulan Lions Club observing its 50th Anniversary Celebration.
In 1963 the Sylvester Lions Club took on the task of organizing a Lions Club in Poulan. Some of the members of the Sylvester Club, namely Gordon Culpepper, Marion Gill and Elmo Agoos, were very active in securing members to form the new Lions Club. I am sure that there were other members that assisted them in their efforts but were not mentioned.
Due to their diligent work the Poulan Lions Club was formed and started meeting in August of 1963. However, the club was not chartered with the International Organization until Oct. 10 when dignitaries of the Lions Organization and members of some of the surrounding Lions Clubs gathered for the “Charter Night Ceremonies.”
The club was chartered with 20 members which included W. T. Branch, H. J. Carter, Earl Fletcher, Edmond Fletcher, Donald Ford, Lyndel E. Ford, Jesse G. Frederick, W.W. Gossett, Hobby Houston,Russell H. Houston, J. Elbert Kilcrease, Henry H. McGirt, John H. Merritt, K.M. Odom, Lee Norman, Morris Pearson, John F. Porter, Matthew St. Clair, Rufus Troutman and Matthew Webb.
There are four of the 20 charter members still living and remain active members in the club; they are Earl Fletcher, Lyndel E. Ford, Elbert Kilcrease and John F. Porter. The club’s first president was Donald Ford. Presently there are 25 members in the Poulan Club which meets twice each month on the second and fourth Thursdays at the Poulan Community Center. These meetings are held at 7 p.m. and the members prepare the food themselves as their time rolls around for them to serve on the feed committee.
One of the major services that the Poulan Lions Club engages in is the purchasing of eye glasses for citizens, mainly children. During the past 50 years Alan Kimbro, club secretary and eye sight conservation chairman, estimates that the Poulan club has spent well over $50,000.00 for eye glasses. Also the club supports the Georgia Lions Light House, the Leader Dog Program, the Camp for the Blind and other projects, including helping hearing impaired children as well as providing other financial help to the needy.
Each year on Saturday before Thanksgiving the club sponsors a turkey shoot and shotgun raffle, plus the members work the polls during election time; these are the main fundraising projects for the club. They also hold broom and mop sales and keep a supply of such on hand for sale all during the year.
Dustin Grubbs is president of the club and Alan Kimbro is secretary with Doyle Rogers as treasurer. These along with other members of the club are part of the Lions International Organization which has 45,500 clubs in 207 countries which shows a total membership of l.35 million members.
Charter night ceremonies are planned for Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Poulan Community Center featuring guests from the district and will include the spouses of the club members. All wives of deceased Lions Club members are invited to this meeting. For reservations you may call Doyle Rogers at 229-349-0822.