History

The Punta Gorda Lions Club has been serving our community since 1926. 

Lion Ernest Pierce first organized the Punta Gorda Lions Club on September 26, 1926 and became the Club's Charter President. The Charter Secretary was Lion H.C. Bennett and there a total of 29 Charter Members, who were mostly businessmen from the area. The Charter night was held at the Elk’s Club on January 27, 1929. There was no recorded Club Sponsor.

 

Local papers reported in 1928, the Punta Gorda Lions Club passed a resolution, supporting the local inventor and pottery expert, C.P. Wilhelm and his new  manufacturing process that created wood fibers from the Palmetto and Cabbage Palm. 

The Club was "defunct" on June 6, 1933 for unknown reasons. 

 

On May 3, 1949, the Punta Gorda Lions Club was re-organized and sponsored by the Fort Myers Lions Club. The Charter President was Lion Charles Scott Jr. and the Charter Secretary was Philip J. Semeck. They held their Charter Night on May 31, 1949, at the Masonic Hall with a a total of 16 Charter Members. Newspaper accounts of the time, indicate the Punta Gorda Club and its (Woman's) Auxiliary were very active in the Community, including sponsoring several large scale Beauty pageants, but for unknown reasons went "defunct" on April 29, 1965.  

On November 15, 1966 the Punta Gorda Lions Club was "reorganized" under Lion President George H. Wright and were sponsored jointly by both the Fort Myers Lions Club and the North Fort Myers Club. There were 31 Charter Members. Charter Night was held at Harry’s Restaurant on February 4, 1967. 

Early Club fund raising activities included White Cane Day, Lions Candy Day and various Community Service Projects, such as the Block Party and the Downtown Civic Association events. 

In 1992, we formed the Punta Gorda Lions Foundation so as to receive tax-exempt donations. Our primary donors included Ann Schraeder, Lions Bobbie Ress, June Weimer and Bernie Recker, plus support from various corporate and local foundations. The proceeds from our Foundation's investments and member donations have allowed us to award significant College Scholarships, now named for Mrs. Schraeder, and various community organizations such as Peace River Wildlife Center. We have also supported the various Lions entities in Florida, including the Florida Lions Foundation for the Blind, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Lions Cronklin Center and the Florida Eye Banks

Several years later we purchased our “Food Wagon” and it went everywhere dispensing pancakes, hamburgers and fries. This was also the time of our aluminum can recycling project.

In 2001, Lion Bob Runyon assembled a Volunteer Team of nine Doctors and Surgeons who subsequently traveled to the Jungles of Panama, to provide Eye Care for the members of the Embera Indian Tribe. The Emberas are indigenous to the Jungles of Panama and live very primitively. During the trip, the Team performed 40 Cataract Surgeries in less than a week.

In 2013, Lion Bob Whipple suggested we look into forming a Leo Club at Charlotte High School. Lion Bob sponsored the Club, which is named in memory of his son, Jim. The Whipple Chapter now exists through the super dedication of their members and our Lion Advisors.

However, the most significant accomplishment of the Punta Gorda Lions Club during the past 97 years is the service we have brought to our Community. Eye Exams and Eye Glasses number in the tens of thousands, as do Hearing and Vision treatments, all provided by the dedication and hard work of our members and volunteers.

In August 2019, the Punta Gorda Lions Club was presented with the Lions Clubs International Premier Centennial Club Award. 

The Punta Gorda Lions Club also received the 2019-2020 Club Excellence Award from Lions Club International.