Here’s a cute ad for the Lorain Lions Club’s 6th Annual White Elephant Sale. The ad ran in the Lorain Journal on April 22, 1957.
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| Early 1920s version of the logo |
“Among its local projects to aid this cause are the annual sale of fruit cakes and a white elephant sale. All proceeds go to eye research in Ohio.
“More than 2,500 tree seedlings planted in Longfellow Park as a club project on March 9, 1945, still are being replanted in parks throughout the city.
“Three men, Louis Carek, Paul Kleefeld and Harry Getrost, were responsible for formation of this club.
“The original charter was granted by Lions International October 12, 1922, and signed by 37 Lorain businessmen."
I wrote about how the club helped to beautify Washington Park after the infamous 1924 Lorain Tornado here.
Lorain’s Lion Club had an office in the Hotel Antlers beginning in the 1920s.
Anyway, I wonder if the term ‘white elephant sale’ is still in use today? If you’re wondering (like me) how that expression came into being, check out this Wiki entry.
And, happily, the Lorain Lions Club is still around! Click here to visit its blog.
2 comments:
I know the generosity of the Lions Club first hand. My Mother lost her sight in 1938. When I was a kid each month they would pick up a car load of blind, and various other types of folks who were using the word of the time handicapped and me. They would take us to hear an Opera in Cleveland or Barber shoppe singers and may local bands would perform at the Blind Center in Elyria and at Christmas when my Mother and I had the joke to last a lifetime. They gave them a gift box that included a mirror. I dont know how many Lions Club members there were but there was about 50 people turn out for these enjoyable outings thanks to the Lions Club. Rae
Hi Rae! What a great story – thanks for posting it. Service clubs like the Lions Club, Rotary, etc. are indeed the symbolic heart of a city.
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