The St. Louis Park Lions Club was chartered on April 28, 1941, sponsored by the Hopkins Lions Club. They first met at the Lilac Lanes Restaurant (in 1958 they met at the Park Terrace.) Joe Justad was instrumental in bringing the club to St. Louis Park. Its first president was (Alvin) A.L. Martinson. Of the fraternal groups in town, the Lions Club was considered the “fun” group, with officers such as the tail twister and the lion tamer.
The group participated in a variety of activities to benefit first the
war effort, then local boy scouts and girl scouts, equipment for Oak Hill Park, and the Lions Babe Ruth Team. In 1954, 56, and 57, they held a “Big Show” fundraiser, which, according to the pictures, mostly featured prominent citizen Lions in full drag. 1958 saw the first annual Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast. In 1959, they put on the Zig Zag Follies, again featuring grown men dressed up as girls. (See “fun group” above.)
In 1961 the club began to focus on eye banks, first by presenting the proceeds of a Pancake Breakfast to the U of M Hospital to establish an eye bank. The group sponsored Queen candidates for Robin Hood Days. In 1974 the club provided funds, supplies, and other disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Fifi in Honduras, led by member Dr. Don Watson.
The Lion’s Club was started in 1917 by a young man named Melvin Jones, with the purposes of helping the less fortunate.
CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE LION’S CLUB – APRIL 28, 1942
S. Earl Ainsworth
Dr. G.C. Benson
C.E. Christy
Charles F. Dalsin
Russell E. Dietrick
Dr. Leonard V. Downing
Frank L. Finn
Willard C. Hamilton
Mell W. Hobart
J. Ralph Hunsacker
Joe Justad
Irving J. Larson
Melbert E. Lenander
Dan F. Luce
N.H. McKay
William M. Martin
Alvin L. Martinson
Tom Motzko
Rev. H.J. Motz-Kus
Dr. Robert Peterson
J.L. Rodgers
S.J. Rutherford
Norman S. Schroeder
Erling H. Shursen
Dr. Archie Smith
Nels Swenson
Frank J. Van Drasek
Rev. Donald H. Walker
Al Wentworth
Dr. H.O. Westerdahl
Fred J. Wolf
LADY LIONS
The club sponsored the Lady Lions (Lionesses), who organized on January 17, 1956, and met at the home of Mrs. Delbert T. Eherenfeldt. Mrs. Berenice (Si) Rutherford was elected President by the 21 charter members. In 1961 their activities were described as assisting the Lions Club in their philanthropic activities, providing food and clothing for needy families, and providing games, toys, and books for children at Methodist Hospital.
In 1993, women were first allowed to be full-fledged members of the Lion’s Club. In June, eight women were inducted. All agreed that it was not changing times, but declining membership that led to the change. At the end of the run for the Lady Lions, there were only 11 members, most of whom joined the Lions. There were 50 male members at that time.
ST. LOUIS PARK METRO LIONS NOON CLUB
The Lions Club of St. Louis Park hosted a charter night dinner dance for the newly-organized St. Louis Park Metro Lions Noon Club in June 1974. President of the new club was C.R. Gustafson, and Vice President was Bud Ondich. The new club had 25 members.