The History of the Lions of Georgia
Multiple District 18
In 1964 the Lions of Georgia created the position of State Historian to keep the historical records of the Lions of Georgia. The following articles were presented over the years as a report to the Lions of the history within the state of Georgia. Each year the District Governors are requested to submit a report of their service to the State Historian. Report of the State Historian is compiled by decade with the latest decade published, 1990-1999. Work is underway for the first decade of the 2000s.
Articles for this website are made possible by Past MD 18 State Historian Olin C. Newby PDG. Conversion to the Internet by Rick Mizell, PDG MD18 Information Technology Chairperson
Available Articles
| 1917 - 1948 | 1920 - 1954 | 1955 - 1956 | 1956 - 1957 | 1957 - 1958 | 1958 - 1959 |
| 1959 - 1960 | 1960 - 1961 | 1961 - 1962 | 1962 - 1963 | 1963 - 1964 | 1964 - 1965 |
| 1970 - 1980 | 1980 - 1990 |
NEW!
A Chronology of Georgia Lions
1st club formed in Georgia, December 17, 1920 in Atlanta, Georgia
The following are the first Districts in Lionism, District 1 Illinois, District 2 Texas, District 3 Oklahoma, District 4 California, District 5 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and East Texas.
1921 District 18 is created with Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
1924 Alabama and Florida form new districts, Georgia remains in District 18, 15 clubs, 579 members.
1934 The position Deputy District Governor was created. This position was used to assist the District Governor.
1937 Georgia redistricts to MD 18 with 3 sub districts called 18 - A B C. The position Zone Chair is created.
1947 Georgia redistricts to 4 sub districts called 18 - A B C D
1948 Georgia Lighthouse (Now Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation) is formed. The first State Uniform was approved.
1949 The Past District Governors Association is organized.
1951 Recording for the Blind (Now Learning Ally) is formed.
1955 Georgia redistricts to 6 sub districts called 18 - A B C D E F. The District Governors Contest was created to foster club competition.
1963 Georgia Lions Eye Bank is formed.
1964 State Historian position is created. Eugene Sanders served as first State Historian.
1965 Council of Governors formed. State Secretary position is created. Alcee F. Maxwell was the first State Secretary.
1966 State Lion Tamer position is created. Rupert Gay served as first State Lion Tamer.
1968 Lions of Georgia sponsored the first Peach Bowl game in Atlanta for the benefit of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation.
1974 Lions Membership in Georgia peaked at 11,704
1976 M E R L is developed, Membership, Extension, Retention and Leadership. Georgia Lions adopt Leader Dogs for the Blind as a State Project.
1977 Council of Governors adopt the practice of wearing the Red Coat at official functions. Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind is Organized. The Peach is adopted as MD 18 symbol.
1986 Linda Selby becomes the current State Secretary.
1987 Number of Lions Clubs peak at 314, Women join Lionism.
1989 State Newsletter was started. The Region Chairman position is created.
1994 The position Vice District Governor was created. Was called Deputy District Governor
1995 Georgia redistricts, moving clubs from 18-D and 18-E to 18-F to redistribute membership.
1997 Georgia Lions Eye bank is no longer a Lions project. Children's Eyecare Center at Emory is created.
1999 Lion Jim Ervin becomes the first Lion from Georgia to serve as International President.
2004 Georgia Council of Blind Lions is formed.
2005 5 of 6 sub districts now below 1,250 members.
2006 District 18-D regains 1,250 plus briefly.
2009 The Position of Vice District Governor was revised to 1st and 2nd Vice District Governor.
2011 GLT GMT positions are created replacing M E R L. Global Leadership Team and Global Membership Team.
7/1/2013 Georgia redistricts to 4 sub districts called 18 - L I O N. Average membership should be 1,500.
Each year, Lions Clubs International publishes a club directory of all Lions clubs. 1st Vice District Governor Elect, Lion Chip Nedza (18-N) has been working with Lions International to reproduce the club directories of the Georgia Lions Clubs. Please note that while some clubs appear earlier than their current charter date. There have been clubs that are chartered and then lose their charter. Also there are clubs who have changed their names over the years. Other clubs suffer losses in membership and were suspended by LCI. They later rebuilt their membership and regained active status.
Cancelled Clubs 1987 to Present
LIONOTES
Activities are the life-blood of a Lions club.
Without activities a club dries up: with activities it grows and
prospers. A Lions club to justify
its existence and to deserve the name, LIONS CLUB, must do something to help
unfortunate individuals, to improve its community and to assist its country.
Things to be done are on every hand if we have the energy to look for
them and to go about doing them.
Some of these
activities require money. A Lions
club should not call upon its members for the money but should raise the
necessary funds from the general public by worthwhile projects.
THE LION magazine will also show the
latest money-raising plans of Lions clubs all over the country.
Programs
that are entertaining, interesting, instructive and inspiring are necessary if
your club is to have good attendance and develop a spirit of Lionism.
By all means, at meeting should open with group singing, a salute to the
flag and an invocation. Much of the
spirit of the meeting depends upon the tail-twister – he should go into action
during the meal if possible and see that the crowd gets in a good humor.
Speakers and
entertainers for the program can often be found in your own club or in nearby
Lions clubs – use them if possible.
Good speakers can be located among youth leaders and the clergy, in the legal,
medical and educational professions; and in business establishments, factories
and military posts.
A group of busy
people, giving up their time to attend a Lions club meeting, deserve a
constructive program.
Fellowship
grows and expands through work and association.
Unless a Lion is actively engaged in doing something with other Lions, he
does not get to know them well and does not develop a spirit of real fellowship.
Regular attendance is necessary also – a member who is weak in attendance
never gets in the swim and feels like he is standing on the bank watching the
other fellows have the fun.
*Excerpted
from “District Governors Annual Report to the Lions of Multiple District 18
Georgia” 1944-45”, page 10; by Percy Plant, Cabinet Secretary