Above) Dignitaries Ken and Kitty Keller congratulate Bluffton Lions on the 90th anniversary of their charter. Additional photos follow this article.

By Paula Pyzik Scott

The Bluffton Lions Club celebrated the 90th anniversary of its charter with a banquet and program on March 5 providing both a history of the club and an international context for its future work.

The meeting was called to order in familiar Lions fashion, with the pledge to the U.S. flag. Dick Boehr, club member of the longest standing, joked about not having the Lions bell to bring the meeting to order, so he “rang” his noggin instead. 

In addition to Boehr, Lions John Rich, Greg Denecker and Barbara Plaugher were instrumental in presenting the program for some 55 guests in the Fellowship Hall of First Mennonite Church. Lion Jackie Bourassa was in charge of door prizes and Bluffton High School senior and pianist Caitlyn Couch provided music for the occasion.

There were numerous guests from other Ohio Lions clubs including speakers Jeff Hatfield, Dan Ritter, Dave Stockum and Ron Keller, who is the current Director of Lions Clubs International.

Mayor Rich Johnson made an official proclamation enumerating the club's accomplishments and breadth of service. He declared that the Bluffton Lions Club 90th anniversary would be celebrated throughout the year of 2024.

As Keller pointed out in his remarks, the Lions Club logo–two roaring lions heads in profile–looks to the past and to the future. The evening’s program did the same. The Bluffton Lions Club was chartered in 1934 with 19 members. The printed program included a list of service project including some that may have faded in community memory:

• Erecting the first village welcome sign in 1935
• Celebrating the 20th anniversary of air mail service in 1938
• Sponsoring a chest x-ray machine
• Actively participating in War Bond drives
• Collecting clothing for international relief after World War II
• Conducting automobile safety checks with state and local law enforcement
• Assisted in securing the $80,000 U.S. Post Office building

In 2024, the Bluffton Lions Club has 52 members. Keller noted that Lions membership is growing across the world, totalling some 1.4 million members. But it is growing fastest in other parts of the world. In essence, his speech encouraged local Lions to find ways to share their enthusiasm for service with their families, friends and neighbors. He provided examples of clubs with members in their teens, twenties, thirties, forties, etc.

This was Keller’s first visit to Bluffton but it was not his introduction to the Bluffton Lions. He was very familiar with leaders who have served in district roles and worked abroad on behalf of the Lions.

Keller called the Bluffton Lions a building club and a club of doers. He explained that there are check-writing clubs and there are doing clubs. He pointed out local families with three generations of Lions Club members. Not long after, he asked those present to close their eye and imagine what Bluffton would be like without the accumulated contributions of Bluffton Lions over those 90 years and asked those present to turn to their neighbor and thank them for their service.

Special recognition was given to four members by the Blufffton club for service and leadership. Lion Barbara Plaugher has been a member since 2002; she has been president twice and, as described by Vice President Greg Denecker, “has been the glue that holds [the Bluffton Lions] together” and held many district offices. She will be going on her 24th mission trip this spring.

Lion Gene Long has been a Bluffton Lion since 1976. He has been a leader in roadside cleanup and recycling; “anything else, Gene is always saying yes,” according to Denecker.

Lion Alan Yoder, a doctor of optometry, has naturally been a valued member of the Lions, with their emphasis on providing vision screenings and glasses in the United State and abroad. He was described as “a huge part of the eyeglasses community.”

Lion Dick Boehr joined the Bluffton chapter in 1960 and has served in many local and district offices. Boehr was also presented with a “Changing the World” certificate of appreciation from Lions International President Patti Hill.

The later part of the evening included enjoying an elegant yellow cake emblazoned in Lion colors and insignia. Guests also relished listening for their raffle ticket numbers in a door prize giveaway.