Edmond Evening Lions Club turns 50

Smith and his wife, Burchie, spent an entire day this week making three gallons of chili for a Lions Club fundraiser.

Warren has been a member of the club since 1964, one year after the club was chartered. Members are celebrating the club's 50th anniversary.

A charter dinner for the new club was held May 21, 1963, at the Student Union Building at what was then Central State College. The club, with 27 charter members, was sponsored by the Village Lions Club. J. Sam Johnson was the first president, a title Smith also has held.

“It has been enjoyable,” Smith said. “It has been rewarding. Three men are still around that were part of the charter membership. Many have passed on or moved on.”

Smith has seen interest in service clubs dwindle over the years.

The Edmond club has about 30 members. The group is older, with the oldest member 95 years old, said Smith, a former biology professor and department chairman at what is now the University of Central Oklahoma.

“We only have two or three who are under 50,” he said. “People are just not as interested as they were in the past for whatever reason. Younger people are just not as interested. Too many are interested in electronics, unfortunately.”