*Copied* from information shared by Lion James Howard
Lions Club International was organized in 1917 in Chicago by Melvin Jones. 1925 was
challenged by Helen Keller to become a supporter of the cause of the blind and
prevention of blindness became the main project of Lions internationally. Lions has
grown to become the worlds largest civic club. The Cullman Lions Club's main projects
are Alabama Lions Sight, local sight causes, and community needs.
Nov. 2, 1954 – Organized, 1st Pres. Powell Blair, organizers were: Powell
Blair, T.L. Harless, Thurman Harris, James H. Smith. Charter night held at St. Pauls
Luthern Church.
1954-1956 – Pres. Powell Blair - Broom Sale held as 1st project. Feb.- Mar. 1955 sold 50
doz., 1st fair held Oct. 1955-Dillard Johnson Gen. Mgr. & organizer.
1956 – 1957 – Pres. Dr. J.L. Below
1957 – 1958 – Pres. Harold Freeman
1958 – 1959 – Pres. Fred Merrill Sr.
1959 – 1960 – Pres. Chester Freeman 1st Lion of Year Award initiated - Chester Freeman
1st recipient. 1st Cullman Lions bulletin, Tale Twister, published Harold Freeman 1st
editor/publisher.
1960 – 1961 – Pres. Clyde Glasscock -Purchased Smith Lake Property Nashville Railroad
1961 – 1962 – Pres. V.E. (Lon) Waters
1962 – 1963 – Pres. J.O. Blandenburg
1963 – 1964 – Pres. Leldon McCoy
1964 – 1965 – Pres. Curtis Stewart
1965 – 1966 – Pres. Morris Grier - Leldon McCoy elected District Gov.
1966 – 1967 – Pres. Fred Merrill Jr.
1967 – 1968 – Pres. Clarence Richter
1968 – 1969 – Pres. James A. Hutchinson
1969 – 1970 – Pres. James King
1970 – 1971 – Pres. Clomar Pruett- Pres. Pruett suggested a oyster/ham dinner fund
raiser, served 1,300 continues to this day as fish/ham dinner.
1971 – 1972 – Pres. Lamar Gassett – C.P. Martin- Cullman Lioness Club Chartered
1972 – 1973 - Pres. Bill Patrick – Chester Freeman elected Al. Lions Sight Pres.
1973 – 1974 – Pres. J.B. Vinson Chester Freeman elected as Pres. Al. Lions Sight
Assn. Lion Freeman helped organize the Alabama Eye Bank.
1974 – 1975 – Pres. Neil Rainwater – Cullman Lions awarded Roderick Beddow
Award ,1st time awarded by state–outstanding club in the state of Alabama Charles E.
Young elected District Gov.
1975 – 1976 – Pres. Bob Spears
1976 – 1977 – Pres. Odie Johnson
1977 – 1978 – Pres. B.J. Schmale
1978 – 1979 – Pres. Steve Glasscock
1979 – 1980 – Pres. Edward Henke
1980 – 1981 – Pres. James Goodwin
1981 – 1982 – Pres. George Hammett
1982 - 1983 – Pres. Jim Rooker
1983 – 1984 - Pres. Jerry Bonner
1984 – 1985 – Pres. Dr. Bruce Harbison – sponsored Hartselle Lions Club
1985 – 1986 – Pres. Dr. Jerry Galin- Awarded Roderick Beddow Award, James Goodwin
elected District Gov. Sponsored Lions Clubs at Good Hope and Fairview
1986 – 1987 - Pres. Dr. B.G. Maxfield
1987 – 1988 - Pres. James Grier-Awarded Roderick Beddow, pledged $30,000 to help
establish Heritage Park in conjunction with Fair Assn. to be paid for with profits from
fish/ham dinner project.
1988 – 1989 – Pres. Charles Glover
1989 – 1990 – Pres. James Howard Awarded Roderick Beddow Award, CHS LEO Club
chartered Nov 1989 paid off note on Heritage Park obligation. 1st time fair parade
televised live. Contributed $10,000 to refurbish Cullman East Side Park.
1990 – 1991 – Pres. Dr. Bryan Boozer – Dr. Jerry Galin elected D.G., Ed Henke elected
Al. Lions Sight Pres.
1991 – 1992 - Pres. Riley Smith
1992 – 1993 – Pres. Douglas Doggett - Sponsored Eva Lions Club, Ed Henke elected
Distr. Gov.
1993 – 1994 –Pres. Mark Aderhold – Donated a pavilion at Smith Lake Park –Jerry
Bonner elected Distr. Gov.
1994 – 1995 – Pres. W.D.(Doug) Spradlin, James Hutchinson elected Pres. Al. Lions
Sight.40th Anniv. Of Cullman Lions Club.Mark Goodwin headed movement to get Lion
Club State of Al. License Plate approved.
1995 – 1996 - Pres. James(Jim) Walker –
1996 – 1997 - Pres. Pete Kirby, Dr. Bruce Harbison elected Distr. Gov.- Cullman Lions
Charities founded, $5,000 donated to Cullman City Schools Foundation, contribution
towards refurbishing Clarkston Bridge Park
1997 – 1998 - Pres. Steve Singleton - P.D.G. Jerry Bonner elected Pres.Council of Govs.
State of Al.
1998 – 1999 – Pres. Charles Childers - State of Al. Parks & Rec. Outstanding Svc. Award,
awarded to Club for outstanding support to the cause of Parks & Rec.
1999 – 2000 - Pres. Dr. Steven Murphree –James Hutchinson elected Distr. Gov.
2000 – 2001 - Pres. Richard White
2001 – 2002 - Pres. Dr. Terry Slaten –James K. (Jim) Walker elected Distr. Gov., Distr.
Club of yr.
2002 – 2003 – Pres. Alan Wood –P.C. Chr. Jerry Bonner elected Distr. Gov.(2d term)
2003 - 2004 - Pres. Gary Miller –
2004 – 2005 - Pres. Bobby Bowden – 50th Anniv., Established Chester Freeman Service
To Others Award, Chester Freeman was 1st receipient.
2005 – 2006 - Pres. Clark Rainwater – Good Samaritan Clinic furnished an exam
room; $7,000 contributed to Cullman City Schools for purchase of individual computers
for students Cullman Middle School. Polly Vinson-Service to Others Award.
2006 – 2007 - Pres. Jerry Eddleman - $30,000 pledged to establish Field of Miracles.
Ralph & Dean Parvin awarded Chester Freeman Service to Others.
2007 – 2008 - Pres. Charles Pinkston – Contributed $50,000 to the Golden Window
Campaign of CRMC for the Emergency Room project. Sponsored LEO Clubs at
Vinemont Middle School and West Point Middle School. Steve Glasscock –awarded
Chester Freeman Service to Others Award
2008 – 2009 - Pres. Jerry Caudle – Lorene Scott awarded Chester Freeman Service to
Others Award
2009 – 2010 - Pres. Raymond Williams – Lease for fair grounds signed w/Cullman
County for additional 50 yrs., Distr. Club of yr. Next to last charter member passed away
James H. Smith. Grover Reeves awarded Chester Freeman Service to Others Award.
2010 – 2011 - Pres. David Bussman - sponsored Cullman Community Lions
Club,Chartered Vinemont H.S. LEO Club, Last charter member passed away-Harold
Freeman. Won 1st place in food drive Cullman Caring For Kids 26,000 lbs plus. Judge
Kim Chaney awarded Chester Freeman to Service Others Award.
2011 – 2012 – Pres. Carey Thompson. The Karl Peinhardt Family awarded the Chester
Freeman Service to Others Award.
2012 – 2013 – Pres. Steve Cartee. Steve Cartee Alabama Lions Sight BOD;
$25k CRMC Refresh A Room; Chester Freeman passed; $20k Alabama Lions Sight;
1st Place CCK food drive; C F Award Tom "Big Doc" Williamson and Danny and Deborah McAfee.
2013 – 2014 – Pres. Frank O'dell. Jerry Bonner and Steve Cartee Alabama Lions Sight BOD. Alabama Lions Sight $20k; $18K CCK; $10k Veterans Park pavillion completion.
2014 – 2015 – Pres. Richard Gurley. Jerry Caudle District Governor; $20k Alabama Lions Sight; $10k Helen Keller statute completion; Jerry Bonner and Steve Cartee Alabama Lions Sight BOD; Sponsored Hartselle Lions Club.
2015 – 2016 – Pres. Charles McBrayer. Cullman Lions 34-A Club of the Year; $30k Stiefelmeyer Park playground equipment; $25k for Alabama Lions Sight; April 2016 Lion Magazine "America's Great Fair".
2016 – 2017 – Pres. Barry Willingham. Visit of International President who toured Fair Grounds, Field of Miracles and Stiefelmeyer Park. $25k to Alabama Lions Sight.
2017 – 2018 – Pres. William (Bill) Ruehl. $25k Cullman Caring for Kids; $5k United Way for Storm Damage; $22k Alabama Lions Sight.
2018 – 2019 – Pres. Mike Ponder. $44k Cullman Fair Association for repaving; $22k Alabama Lions Sight.
2019 – 2020 – Pres. Andrew Manning. Covid-19 impacts Club meetings and attendance; $22k to Alabama Lions Sight; $20k to Lions International.
2020 – 2021 – Pres. Javon Daniel. Vote to sell Smith Lake property; Cullman Lionesses join as Branch Club; Club struggled through global pandemic of COVID 19 as well as the rest of the world.
2021 – 2022 – Pres. Javon Daniel. Cullman Lions Club property at Smith Lake sold; Cullman Lions Club became a Melvin Jones Model Club; Cullman County Fair was 3rd in attendance in State of Alabama.
2022 – 2023 – Pres. Milford Parrish.
2023 – 2024 – Pres. Chris Brooks.
2024 – 2025 – Pres. Chris Brooks.
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