DUANE SHERRILLEditor

The 75^th annual Lion’s Club officer induction and awards banquet was held this past week as the civic organization honored Gloria Damron as its Humanitarian of the Year while also giving praise its own King Lion Mike Cunningham for all he does for the club.

Damron was cited for her work in helping the hungry and less fortunate by providing a hot meal on Tuesday nights through Damron’s Restaurant’s “Come to the Table” program.

“She demonstrates her love for mankind in giving to those in need,” said Club President Richard Kulp in presenting the Willie Stockton Humanitarian Award. The award is named after a now-passed Lion who served in the club for many years. “She also hosts several other drives to help children in need and provides a warm breakfast to those in the shelter.”

Mary Harmon and Richard Kulp were honored by District 12-S Governor Linda Maggart as they were given the Governor’s Award for their service to the organization while Cunningham was given the Melvin Jones Fellowship for his work in leading the club.

“He has served the club for many years and doesn’t complain,” Kulp said in presenting the Melvin Jones Fellowship, named after the founder of the Lions.

Kulp will lead the club going forward as he was named President, taking over for Cunningham this coming year. He will be joined in the leadership group by Skip Willmore who will be Secretary and J. Ray Jollenbeck who will be Treasurer. Mark Faber was named Tail Twister while John Brandon will be Lion Tamer. Directors will include Sally Hoehl, Jim Watson, Woodson Reasonover and Pat Stephenson. Jasper Smith will serve as Membership Chairman.

“We are going to try to reinvent our club,” Kulp said in his opening remarks on the new club president. “We will do some serious investigation of who we are, what we are doing and how we can make it better. It would be really nice if next year we looked out here and saw many more young Lions.”

Jasper Smith revealed the local club is one of many international Lions Clubs. There are 46,000 Lions Clubs with four million members in 200 countries. Locally, Smith said that twice a month people are interviewed who need glasses but cannot afford them. This year, 40 families have been issued glasses thanks to the local club. The local club has also given eye tests to 750 local students in the area’s seven schools. The testing is a joint venture with the Downtown Lions Club.

Their biggest fundraiser each year is the Lion’s Bowl football game. The Tullahoma News was recognized in its help with the project.