🎥Hays Lions Club celebrates 100th anniversary

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

When the Hays Lions Club was founded on October 10, 1924, its membership consisted primarily of professors from Fort Hays State University as well as local doctors and lawyers, all of whom were men.

Today, 100 years later, members include women and people from all walks of life and of different ages.

The service group celebrated its 100th anniversary Saturday night with a dinner featuring a guest speaker, one of the club’s more prominent members and former Hays resident, Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas.

Moran was president of the Hays Lions Club in 1990-91 and is still a member after 41 years. He can occasionally attend the Tuesday noon meetings.

“I really miss the time I spent being part of that club. I miss the time I spent being part of that community,” Moran said. “It had a huge impact on my life.”

“And while it’s nice to know people from all over Kansas, there’s something special about all of you. There’s something special about all of you when you know what’s going on in the community. You get involved in what’s going on in the community, and you make a difference.”

Other guests of honor included Republican state Rep. Barb Wasinger of Hays, Hays City Councilman Reese Barrick, Ellis County Councilman Michael Berges and his family, and District Judge Tom Drees and his wife Patricia.

Members of several other Kansas Lions organizations were also in attendance to celebrate the Hays Club’s milestone.

Also in attendance were representatives from several Ellis County nonprofit organizations that received grants from the Hays Lions Club.

The club’s three main fundraising projects are the annual pancake dinner, an Oktoberfest booth with German beers and a golf tournament, said Jim Huenergarde, club president.

The association’s best-known projects include free vision tests for children and adults.

“The Lions Club’s work for the blind and visually impaired began in 1925 when Helen Keller gave a speech at the International Lions Convention. We have continued it ever since,” said Huenergarde.

“We do a lot of that here in the city. We do vision screenings in daycare centers. We help schools. It’s been very productive and helpful, especially the testing of young children.”

Scattered throughout the NCK Technical College administration building where the dinner was held were memorabilia from the Hays Lions’ 100-year history, including the framed original constitution of the International Association of Lions Clubs.

While Moran received a new Lions Club pin and an award for special achievement from the president of Lions Club International, he signed and presented certificates of service to three long-time Hays members. These included 31 years of service for 103-year-old Warren Hall, 49 years for Roger Pruitt and 56 years for Les Herrman.

Pruitt and Herrman both previously served as president of the Hays Lions Club.

“This is an organization that has a tremendous impact on people. … I encourage all of you to continue to care about other people and make a difference in this community and in the lives of people you know and have never met until you get the chance to help them,” Moran said.

The club also announced that Moran and his wife Robba donated $1,000 to the club in local grant funding.

The Hays Lions Club currently has 50 members. New members are being recruited. Interested members can call Huenergarde at 785-639-3430.