Culver Lions celebrate anniversary
By Robin Vargo
CULVER � The Culver Lions Club recently celebrated their 59th Anniversary with a special dinner and award ceremony. Lion Art Birk educated fellow Lions with a brief history lesson on the Culver Lions.
At the time the club was formed the United States was involved with World War II. The club was formed with the ideals of Lionism of what
could be done for community and mankind.
Some of the projects that the Lions initiated or were involved in include; Street signs for Culver which lasted for over 50 years, a respirator for the fire department, the first radio for the police department, Kiddie Day Parade, Halloween Party, a basketball court for the town park, park grills, picnic tables, repair of park benches and picnic tables, summer league baseball, trips to major league baseball games for the summer league, and band uniforms. Senior Awards Night has been an annual event since the beginning of the club.
Some of the fund raisers the Lions have been involved in in the past are; Minstrel Shows, the Womanless Wedding, boat races, and the Corn
Roast. The Corn Roast is the longest running event in the Culver community with the Lions serving between 2000 and 3000 each year.
1985 marks the year of the largest project undertaken by the Culver Lions, the renovation of the Railroad Station. The club thought they
could renovate the station for $50,000, but ended up going over that mark $20,000. However, the club did not borrow any money for the project, they held fundraisers instead.
The Culver Lions Club at one time was the largest club per capita in the world with over 200 members.
Past presidents of the Culver Lions are: 1943-44 Claude MacDonald, 1944 Steffen Rector, 1944-45 Wilbur Taylor, 1946-47 Basil O�Reilley, 1947-48 Willard Zechiel, 1948-49 Louis Welch, 1949-50 Hampton Boswell, 1950-51 Ray Manis, 1951-52 Everett Easterday, 1952-53 Frank Walaitis, 1953-54 Earl Dean Overmyer, 1954-55 Don Hand, 1955-56 Don Mikesell, 1956-57 Don Davis, 1957-58 Robert Osborn, 1958-59 R.J. Ives, 1959-60 Robert Cultice, 1960-61 Norman Kelly, 1961-62 Thomas K. Walker, 1962-63 Harold Fitterling, 1963-64 Larry Welsh, 1964-65 Dr. Oscar Wesson, 1965-66 A.N. Poppe, 1966-67 Jesse Overmyer, 1967-68 Earl Dean Overmyer, 1968-69 James McCombs, 1969-70 George Becker, 1970-71 David Smith, 1971-72Earl Grahm, 1972-73 Jesse Overmyer, 1973-74 Wayne Kline, 1974-75 Earl Sharp, 1975-76 A.F. Allen, 1976-77 Gerald Thomas, 1977-78 Don French, 1978-79 Art Birk, 1979-80 Paul Winn, 1980-82 Tom Sholly, 1982-83 Larry Pachniak, 1983-84
Dan Adams, 1984-85 Art Birk, 1985-87 Elmer Hahn, 1987-89 Dennis Westafer, 1989-91 Mike Overmyer, 1991-93 Jim Early, 1993-95 Don Slyh,
1995-97 Dave Allen, 1997-99 Ronald Cole, 1999-2001 Fred Karst, 2001-02 Carl Landskron.
The Lions then honored two members with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award in a surprise ceremony. These two members had been �spied� on by fellow Lions. The spy reports told of background information and habits the two have.
The first member played marbles on the floor with his mother, was active in Scouts, played baritone in the high school band, graduated in
1947, attended Manchester College, served during the Korean Conflict, earned the Korean Service Medal with four Service Stars, The Meritorious
Unit Commendation, The United Nations Service Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation. He married Freida Strefling, worked at State Exchange Bank, was recognized by a prominent magazine (Time), has four children and six grandchildren, owns Insurance Services by Cultice, and is currently serving the Lions as secretary.
�I am pleasantly surprised,� said Robert Cultice. �I accept this award on behalf of all the Lions who have passed on.�
The second member receiving this award has lived his whole life in the Culver area, attended local schools, had two brothers one of whom was the founder of the Corn Roast, played trombone in the high school band, and violin in the church orchestra, sang special music every Sunday,
married the girl next door (Elizabeth Zechiel) has two children and six grandchildren, always wears a suit to church, has been a Sunday School
teacher, a superintendent, and custodian at Mount Hope Methodist Church, has been Abbeenaubbee trustee for eight years, Culver Community School board member for 20 years, a dairy farmer and 50 year Lions Club member.
�I have enjoyed serving the community and the school board,� said Eldon Davis. �Now I know why my family is present tonight.�
Culver Lions members were recognized for their years of service and will receive a membership chevron at a later date. Those members honored are:
� 15 Years
Lion Clara Hanson, Lion Fred Kowalinski, Lion Russ Mason.
� 20 Years
Lion Thomas Pugh, Lion Eugene Reister.
� 25 Years
Lion Arthur Birk.
� 40 Years
Lion Jim Bonine
� 45 Years
Lion Robert Cultice.
� 50 Years
Lion Edward Schultz.
� 55 Years
Lion Larry Welsh.
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