Since being organized be Senator Frank Beadle, of the St. Clair Lions Club, on February 17, 1941, the Marysville Lions have continually striven to be active, helpful to those in need, and an asset to our community.
Today Marysville is often termed a "bedroom community, But back in 1941, Marysville was a growing industrial city when 24 men ( no women were allowed to join ) formed the Marysville Lions Club. The club was sponsored by the St. Clair Lions Club, and organized under the guidance of then Senator and Lion Frank Beadle .
Most of the residents either lived in the "Salt Block " in homes built by the Morton Salt Company, or in homes built by Harold Willis in the area bounded by Michigan,18th Street, Georgia, and Huron. A few homes built by Judge Bunch and his descendents remained along the River road. The oldest home in Marysville was a large structure built by Colonel Mack after the Revolutionary War, which still stood on the bluff overlooking Cuttle Creek; the property is now part of the municipal golf course.
The major road in town was Gratiot Road, then designated as US- 25. This highway has been built as a 3-lane "turnpike", and the center lane was referred to as the "suicide lane." River Road was then state highway M-29. There was not one single traffic light in town. Michigan Avenue was the main north-south thoroughfare, running from Ravenswood south to Cuttle,with the portion between 9th and 16th streets built as a "boulevard."
City Hall was located in a former two-family house on the North side of Huron, in the present City Park. This structure was one of a few remaining buildings that predated the arrival of Wills in 1918.
There were three gas stations on the west side of Michigan, one at 16th Street, one at Huron, and one at Gratiot. There also were gas stations at the corner of Gratiot and Delaware, and on Ravenswood west of Michigan.
C. Harold Wills built a small brick building on the north side of Huron for his Marysville Land Company office in the 1920s. This building was converted for use as the only bank in town, a branch of peoples Savings Bank of Port Huron.
There were only two churches in town. The Marysville Community Methodist Church had been built in 1939, and replaced a wooden structure on the south side of Huron near the Chrysler plant that had burned down. St Christopher's parish was housed in the original Morton School, which had been relocated in the late 1930's to the northwest corner of Michigan and Lincoln ( later Stadium, now Collard ).
There were two K-6 schools in town, the Washington School completed in 1936. A two story brick sschool at the north east corner of Michigan and Huron built in the 1930's served the students in grades 7-12.
The Morton Salt Company was the oldest employer in town,with numerous salt wells and production facilities dating back to 1900. The Wills St. Claire automobile plant that closed in 1927, was first bought by the Dodge Brothers, and by 1941 was part of the Chrysler Corporation.
Other industrial facilities included Detroit Edison's Marysville Power Plant ( six low pressure units ),the Canadian Pressed Metals production facility on Gratiot Boulevard, and the St. Clair Rubber Company plant on Michigan north of Cuttle. Gar Wood was still producing speedboats in the Marysville Factory on River Road that he had built in 1930. The Buhl Aircraft Facility also closed in the1930's.,but the landing strip east of Range between Cuttle and 18th Street was still visible.
The city dump was accessed from " original " Cuttle Road ( now Covington ) south of 18th Street.
The Detroit Urban Railway had gone bankrupt in the 1930's, but the tracks and structures remained along the right-of-way through town.
The Lions club is recognized worldwide for their service to the blind and visually impaired. The Marysville Lions support this objective by providing financial support of Leader Dogs for the Blind, Welcome Home, Michigan Eye Bank, and Bear Lake Camp for Visually Impaired Youth, the four state projects of the Lions of Michigan. The club collects used eyeglasses for recycling, provides eye exams and glasses for needy residents, sponsors the raising of Leader Dog puppies, provides white canes to blind residents, and assists visually-impaired residents of Safe Horizons. In the 1960's the Club purchased the first Braille Scout Handbooks in the Blue Water Council for blind members of Troop 216. In the summer of 2005 the Club brought Project Kid-Sight to Marysville, a vision screening program for pre-school children.
The Club serves the Marysville community by: loaning orthopedic equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches to community residents at no charge, by funding memorials at River lawn Cemetery that honor residents who died while serving in the Armed Forces during World War II and the Viet Nam Conflict, and by donating a fountain in the City Park to honor Eagle Scouts who died in World War II. The Club supported the development of the Riverview Golf Course in the 1950's, and donated the community picnic shelters and the “Lion†fountain in the City Park in the 1970's. The Club has donated video equipment to the Marysville Fire Department in the 1980's, and had funded two specialized bicycles for the Marysville Police Department.
The Marysville Lions Club serves the youth of Marysville by sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 216, Law Enforcement Explorer Post 1776, a Little League team, and the Marysville Police Youth Bicycle Safety Program, The Club is a sponsor of Marysville Schools Channel 6, a supporter of the annual Senior Class Party, and a provider of six scholarships annually granted to graduating seniors of Marysville High School who attend St. Clair County Colleges. Three of the scholarships are co-sponsored by the Marysville Meijer Corporation.
The Marysville Lions began the Marysville Days Festival in the 1940's and sponsored the event for more than 25 years. With the assistance and support of the City of Marysville, The Club re-started the festival in 1999 and strives to produce a family-oriented event that is enjoyable for our residents and neighbors. There are currently 18 Regular and 5 Life members of the Club.
Our Name
The proper name of the association is "The International Association of Lions Clubs." Many Lions, however, prefer the use of the shorter form of "Lions Clubs International."
Our Emblem
Throughout the world, Lions are recognized by the emblem they wear on their lapels. It consists of a gold letter "L" on a circular purple field. Bordering this is a circular gold area with two lion profiles at either side facing away from the center. The word "Lions" appears at the top, and "International" at the bottom. Symbolically, the lions face both past and future -- proud of the past and confident of the future. Lions wear their emblem with pride.
Our Motto
The motto of every Lion is simply "We Serve". What better way to express the true mission of Lionism?
Our Slogan
The slogan of the association is "Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation's Safety (LIONS).
Our Official Colors
The royal colors of purple and gold were selected as the official colors when the association was organized in 1917. Purple stands for loyalty to friends and to one's self, and for integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life and generosity in mind, heart and purpose toward humanity.
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Today Marysville is often termed a "bedroom community, But back in 1941, Marysville was a growing industrial city when 24 men ( no women were allowed to join ) formed the Marysville Lions Club. The club was sponsored by the St. Clair Lions Club, and organized under the guidance of then Senator and Lion Frank Beadle .
Most of the residents either lived in the "Salt Block " in homes built by the Morton Salt Company, or in homes built by Harold Willis in the area bounded by Michigan,18th Street, Georgia, and Huron. A few homes built by Judge Bunch and his descendents remained along the River road. The oldest home in Marysville was a large structure built by Colonel Mack after the Revolutionary War, which still stood on the bluff overlooking Cuttle Creek; the property is now part of the municipal golf course.
The major road in town was Gratiot Road, then designated as US- 25. This highway has been built as a 3-lane "turnpike", and the center lane was referred to as the "suicide lane." River Road was then state highway M-29. There was not one single traffic light in town. Michigan Avenue was the main north-south thoroughfare, running from Ravenswood south to Cuttle,with the portion between 9th and 16th streets built as a "boulevard."
City Hall was located in a former two-family house on the North side of Huron, in the present City Park. This structure was one of a few remaining buildings that predated the arrival of Wills in 1918.
There were three gas stations on the west side of Michigan, one at 16th Street, one at Huron, and one at Gratiot. There also were gas stations at the corner of Gratiot and Delaware, and on Ravenswood west of Michigan.
C. Harold Wills built a small brick building on the north side of Huron for his Marysville Land Company office in the 1920s. This building was converted for use as the only bank in town, a branch of peoples Savings Bank of Port Huron.
There were only two churches in town. The Marysville Community Methodist Church had been built in 1939, and replaced a wooden structure on the south side of Huron near the Chrysler plant that had burned down. St Christopher's parish was housed in the original Morton School, which had been relocated in the late 1930's to the northwest corner of Michigan and Lincoln ( later Stadium, now Collard ).
There were two K-6 schools in town, the Washington School completed in 1936. A two story brick sschool at the north east corner of Michigan and Huron built in the 1930's served the students in grades 7-12.
The Morton Salt Company was the oldest employer in town,with numerous salt wells and production facilities dating back to 1900. The Wills St. Claire automobile plant that closed in 1927, was first bought by the Dodge Brothers, and by 1941 was part of the Chrysler Corporation.
Other industrial facilities included Detroit Edison's Marysville Power Plant ( six low pressure units ),the Canadian Pressed Metals production facility on Gratiot Boulevard, and the St. Clair Rubber Company plant on Michigan north of Cuttle. Gar Wood was still producing speedboats in the Marysville Factory on River Road that he had built in 1930. The Buhl Aircraft Facility also closed in the1930's.,but the landing strip east of Range between Cuttle and 18th Street was still visible.
The city dump was accessed from " original " Cuttle Road ( now Covington ) south of 18th Street.
The Detroit Urban Railway had gone bankrupt in the 1930's, but the tracks and structures remained along the right-of-way through town.
The Lions club is recognized worldwide for their service to the blind and visually impaired. The Marysville Lions support this objective by providing financial support of Leader Dogs for the Blind, Welcome Home, Michigan Eye Bank, and Bear Lake Camp for Visually Impaired Youth, the four state projects of the Lions of Michigan. The club collects used eyeglasses for recycling, provides eye exams and glasses for needy residents, sponsors the raising of Leader Dog puppies, provides white canes to blind residents, and assists visually-impaired residents of Safe Horizons. In the 1960's the Club purchased the first Braille Scout Handbooks in the Blue Water Council for blind members of Troop 216. In the summer of 2005 the Club brought Project Kid-Sight to Marysville, a vision screening program for pre-school children.
The Club serves the Marysville community by: loaning orthopedic equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches to community residents at no charge, by funding memorials at River lawn Cemetery that honor residents who died while serving in the Armed Forces during World War II and the Viet Nam Conflict, and by donating a fountain in the City Park to honor Eagle Scouts who died in World War II. The Club supported the development of the Riverview Golf Course in the 1950's, and donated the community picnic shelters and the “Lion†fountain in the City Park in the 1970's. The Club has donated video equipment to the Marysville Fire Department in the 1980's, and had funded two specialized bicycles for the Marysville Police Department.
The Marysville Lions Club serves the youth of Marysville by sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 216, Law Enforcement Explorer Post 1776, a Little League team, and the Marysville Police Youth Bicycle Safety Program, The Club is a sponsor of Marysville Schools Channel 6, a supporter of the annual Senior Class Party, and a provider of six scholarships annually granted to graduating seniors of Marysville High School who attend St. Clair County Colleges. Three of the scholarships are co-sponsored by the Marysville Meijer Corporation.
The Marysville Lions began the Marysville Days Festival in the 1940's and sponsored the event for more than 25 years. With the assistance and support of the City of Marysville, The Club re-started the festival in 1999 and strives to produce a family-oriented event that is enjoyable for our residents and neighbors. There are currently 18 Regular and 5 Life members of the Club.
Our Name
The proper name of the association is "The International Association of Lions Clubs." Many Lions, however, prefer the use of the shorter form of "Lions Clubs International."
Our Emblem
Throughout the world, Lions are recognized by the emblem they wear on their lapels. It consists of a gold letter "L" on a circular purple field. Bordering this is a circular gold area with two lion profiles at either side facing away from the center. The word "Lions" appears at the top, and "International" at the bottom. Symbolically, the lions face both past and future -- proud of the past and confident of the future. Lions wear their emblem with pride.
Our Motto
The motto of every Lion is simply "We Serve". What better way to express the true mission of Lionism?
Our Slogan
The slogan of the association is "Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation's Safety (LIONS).
Our Official Colors
The royal colors of purple and gold were selected as the official colors when the association was organized in 1917. Purple stands for loyalty to friends and to one's self, and for integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life and generosity in mind, heart and purpose toward humanity.
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History of the Lions Club International
Lions Clubs International -- Triumph of an Idea
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local business clubs -- he was an active member of one -- could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.
The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.
Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and founder Melvin Jones named acting secretary, thus began an association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961. (Melvin Jones Lions Club Memorial link)
That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism's Objectives and Code of Ethics.
One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of Lionism ever since. "No Club," it read, "shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object."
Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the United States, and the association became "international" with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60,000 in 1,183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club, with the first South American club being organized in Columbia the following year. Lionism reached Europe in 1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switxerland, and France. In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan. Since then, the association has become truly global, with clubs in more than 170 countries and geographical areas worldwide.
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local business clubs -- he was an active member of one -- could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.
The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.
Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and founder Melvin Jones named acting secretary, thus began an association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961. (Melvin Jones Lions Club Memorial link)
That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism's Objectives and Code of Ethics.
One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of Lionism ever since. "No Club," it read, "shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object."
Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the United States, and the association became "international" with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60,000 in 1,183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club, with the first South American club being organized in Columbia the following year. Lionism reached Europe in 1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switxerland, and France. In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan. Since then, the association has become truly global, with clubs in more than 170 countries and geographical areas worldwide.
