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Watertown Lions Club
1930 FOUNDING OF
1950
06 06 LIONS
CLUB 20th ANNIVERSARY
The Watertown Lions Club commemorated the 20th
anniversary of the founding of the club.
Dr. Clarence Bergmann, secretary; Paul Junghans,
Fort Atkinson, councilor for Lions International; William Borchardt and Elmer
Schmidt, Clarence Sturm, a director of Lions International, Leonard Kramp,
Edward F. Albrecht, E. Buelow, treasurer; and Clifford Warren, president.
1957
05 31 OFFICERS ELECTED
At
Monday night’s meeting of the Lions Club which was
held at the Green Bowl, the following were elected to office: President, Paul Negus; first vice president,
Erving Miller; second vice president, Gary W. Ponath; third vice president,
Harold Mantey; secretary, Glenn Rieder; treasurer, Charles Abel; lion tamer,
Webb Mullen; tail twister, Art Christenson. Members of board of directors for
two years, Leonard Kramp, Phil Bossert.
Members of board of directors for one year, Edgar Buelow, Father W.E.
Krueger, William Guyer. William Guyer served as president for the past
year. WDT
06 28 OFFICERS
INSTALLED
Father
William E. Krueger, who recently was appointed Deputy District Governor of Zone
27A of the Lions Club, performed his first duty of his new office Monday
evening by installing the newly elected officers of the Watertown Club at a
meeting held at the Green Bowl. The new
officers were presented and their duties
explained. Following are the officers
for the coming year: President, Paul Negus; first vice president, Erving
Miller; second vice president, Gary W. Ponath; third vice president, Harold
Mantey; secretary, Glenn Rieder; treasurer, Charles Abel; lion tamer, Webb
Mullen; tail twister, Art Christenson.
Members of board of directors for two years, Leonard Kramp, Phil
Bossert. Members of board of directors
for one year, Edgar Buelow, Father W. E. Krueger, William
Guyer. WDT
1958
06 14 OFFICERS
INSTALLED
At Monday night's meeting of the Lions Club, which was held at the Green
Bowl, the newly elected officers of the club were installed. Father William E. Krueger, who is deputy
district governor of 27 A, was the installing officer. Following are the officers of the club who
will perform their duties for the ensuing year:
President Erving Miller, first vice president, Gary W. Ponath; second vice
president, Art Christenson; third vice president, Martin Uttech; secretary,
Glenn Rieder; treasurer, Charles Abel; Lion tamer, Al Linde; tail twister, Cr.
C. L. Bergmann. Directors are Gene
Rooney, Len Kramp, Father W. E. Krueger and Paul Negus. WDT
1959
05 28 OFFICERS INSTALLED
Gary W. Ponath was elected president of the
Watertown Lions Club at its meeting Monday evening at the Legion Green
Bowl. Other officers elected were: Arthur Christensen, first vice president; Martin
Uttech, second vice president; Gene Rooney, third vice president; Glenn Rieder,
secretary; Charles Abel, treasurer; David Parish, tail twister; Al Linde, Lion
tamer; Vince Beschta, director, two years; Wes Thorsen, director, one year, and
Leonard Kramp, director, one year, to replace Gene Rooney.
1961
05 18 OFFICERS
INSTALLED
At Monday evening’s meeting of the Lions Club held at the Legion Green
Bowl, the nominating committee’s slate of officers for the ensuing years was
accepted. President is Eugene Rooney. Other officers are: First vice-president,
Vince Beschta; second vice-president, William Neis; third vice-president, Dave
Parish; secretary, Clarence Albrecht; treasurer, Martin Uttech; Lion tamer,
Robert Rausch; tail twister, Donald Schmutzler; immediate past president,
Arthur Christensen, and chaplain, Father William E. Krueger. Directors are Gary
Ponath and Robert Steinbach (two years) and Leonard Kramp and Robert Hargraves,
one year. WDT
1969
10 08 DONATION TO HOSPITAL
The
Watertown Lions Club presented a check for $1,000 to the Watertown Memorial
Hospital Association. Robert Wills,
president of the association, accepts the check from Dave Klein, treasurer of
the local Lions Club.
12 02 KLEIN
GETS THE BIRD
David Klein, treasurer of the Watertown Lions Club, is pictured with the
25 pound live white turkey he received as the highest bidder in the auction
held at the Lions Club at the Legion Green Bowl. William Hossman made arrangements for the event.
12 11 LIONS
PACKAGE COLLECTED EYE GLASSES
Fred
Pagel, left, and Jerry Mallach prepare packages of old eye glasses for shipment
to the Wisconsin Lions eye glass center at Wausau. The local Lions Club had placed containers
like the filled one held by Mallach in various stores
in the city.
1970
05 11 WATERTOWN
LIONS CLUB 40TH ANNIVERSARY
The Lions Club celebrated its 40th anniversary at the Legion Green Bowl. Guest of honor was Leonard Kramp, the only
charter member, who is still an active member of the club.
05 12 LION OF THE YEAR
Thomas
Sheehan, 1001 Mary Street, was presented the Bruce Schlueter award as the Lion
of the Year at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Watertown Lions Club
Saturday evening at the Green Bowl. The award was presented by Wayne Staude.
10 22 DONATE
RAINCOATS
The Watertown Lions Club has donated raincoats for the safety patrols at the various
schools in the city. Tim Kennedy (left)
Lincoln School, and Gary Zwieg, St. Mark's School, look at one of the coats
with Gerald Mallach, president of the local Lions Club.
12 09 "HAPPY DAYS CHIEF"
The
Lions Club honored
Al Linde, who retired Dec. 1 as the chief of the Watertown Fire
Department.
Gerald Mallach and Jerome Brunelle,
secretary of the Police and Fire Commission at the time Linde was hired as fire
chief.
1971
01 06 WATERLOO
LIONS CLUB, 40th ANNIVERSARY
Tom
Sheehan (center), Watertown district governor of District 27A, Lions
International, is pictured with two veteran members of area Lions Clubs who
attended the 40th anniversary meeting of the Waterloo Lions Club. They are Arthur Setz, 40
year charter member of the Waterloo club, and Lyman Jeffords, 40 year
member of the For Atkinson club.
1987
05 18 WISCONSIN
LIONS FOUNDATION
Jerry Rabbach, a member of the Watertown Lions
Club, was named president of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation at the annual state
Lions convention held last weekend in Stevens Point. Rabbach has been a director of the foundation. Les Huber of the Watertown club was elected
zone chairman of the local District 27A2.
Carl Schuett of Ixonia Lions Club was elected governor of the local
district. A report on the convention was
given by Del Hintzman at Monday night’s meeting of the local club held at the
Watertown Country Club. WDT
1989
01 21 MELVIN
WAGNER HONORED
Melvin Wagner of the Watertown Lions Club was honored at Monday night’s
meeting of the club for receiving the 100 Percent President’s Award for 1987-88
by the International Association of Lions Clubs. He was given the award for his leadership
throughout his term as president of the club.
In another award presentation, Dr. Harold E. Magnan Jr., secretary of
the club, was honored for receiving the 100 Percent Secretaries Award from
District 27A2 which includes Watertown. He was given the award for his excellent
record keeping during the years he has served as the club’s secretary. WDT
10 21 PERFECT
ATTENDANCE AWARDS
The Watertown Lions Club honored members with perfect attendance awards
Monday night at the Watertown Country Club.
Special honors were given to Gary Ponath for 36 years and Harold
Niedfeldt for 28 years. Del Hintzmann
was honored for 19 years and Jerry Rabbach for 14
years. Other awards were given to Wilmer
Altreuter, 13 years; Merle Zastrow, Dr. Harold Magnan
and Ron Larson, 12 years; William Schultz, 11 years; Mel Wagner and A1
Anderson, 10 years; Steve Raue and Rich Nienow, nine years; Les Huber, William
Brown and Charles Bruce, eight years; Charles Nienow, seven years; Mike Oleson,
six years; George Rather, five years; John Wanke, Charles Robert, Pete Miller,
James Kukla, George Hintz and Russ Bentheimer, four years; Dale Ninmann and
William Neis, three years; Tom Wooley and Richard Johns, two years; and Paul Smebak, Ulrich Schneider, Floyd Clemans, Mike Chandler and
George Kuckkan, one year. WDT
1990
05 09 OFFICERS ELECTED
New officers were elected at the Watertown Lions Club meeting Monday night
at the Watertown Country Club. New members were also installed. Elected as
president for the upcoming year is Chuck Roberts with Merle Zastrow as first
vice president. Third vice president is Michael Chandler, Dr. Harold Magnan was
re-elected secretary. Current President Michael Olesen will serve as past
president. John Wanke was elected tail twister and Ray Vick was named as Lion tamer. Jerry Alfheim and George Kuckkan were elected as members of the board. Dale
Hintzmann was elected as a voting member to the new board position of
membership chairman. Les Huber and Gary Bergman were elected to news position on the membership committee. WDT (names not indexed)
1991
06 07 AWARDS
Robert Steinhorst was named Lion of the Year at the Watertown Lions Club
annual awards night held at the Watertown Country Club
Monday. George Raether was the recipient
of the Distinguished Service Award.
Merle Zastrow was installed as president of the club. He was handed the gavel by Chuck Roberts, who
has served as president for the past year.
1993
04 16 PONATH AND NIEDFELDT HONORED
Gary
Ponath and Harold Niedfeldt were honored by the Watertown Lions Club Monday
night at Old Timers Night held at the Watertown Country Club. Ponath was honored for 38 years of perfect
attendance. Niedfeldt has 31 years of
perfect attendance. Ponath, of 1148
Bayberry Drive, joined Lions in 1953 and has been a member for 40 years. He is retired from the Watertown Daily Times where he served as display advertising
manager for many years. He was president
of Lions in 1959, served as zone chairman in 1961 and received the Bruce
Schlueter Award in 1971. He also served
the organization in other capacities.
Niedfeldt served as president in 1965, secretary in 1976 and ‘77,
received the Distinguished Service Award in 1978, and Bruce Schlueter Award and
Lion of the Year. While in Lions, he
served as zone chairman, director, and in many other capacities.
1994
06 03 OFFICERS ELECTED
The
Watertown Lions Club held its annual installation and awards banquet earlier
this week at the Watertown Country Club.
The following Watertown Lions Club members were installed as officers
for the July 2009 through June 2010 Lion year: Nancy Dishneau, president; John
Wanke, first vice president; Terry Zastrow, second vice president; Craig
Schuler, third vice president; Dolly Laatsch, secretary; Mary Braunschweig,
treasurer; Larry Braunschweig, Lion tamer; Dennis Gutzdorf,
tail twister; and Ray Vick, immediate past president. The Wisconsin Lions Foundation Birch-Strum
Fellowship was awarded to Braunschweig and the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin
Knight of Sight Award was presented to Lion Bill Schultz and his wife, Mary
Schultz.
2003
05 20 DOLLY
LAATSCH
Watertown Lions Club member Dolly Laatsch has received one of the
highest awards available from Lions Club International. She was presented with the International
Presidents Leadership Award by past international director Rick Myers of
Nebraska at the Wisconsin State Lions Convention recently held in
Oconomowoc. Laatsch is past president of
the Watertown Lions Club, received the Presidents Excellence Award for her
efforts, and has been active in many Lions activities. She has served as district hearing chairwoman
for 52 clubs and as zone chairwoman for seven clubs. WDT
2006
05 18 AWARDS
The Watertown Lions Club presented awards to several members on Monday
night at the Watertown Country Club where members cooked their own steaks for
dinner. New officers were also
installed. Terry Zastrow received two
major awards, the Bruce Schlueter Lion of the Year Award and the Birch-Sturm
Award. Sue Jaramillo was recipient of the distinguished service award. Nancy Dishneau received the Melvin Jones
Award and Daryl Arnold was recipient of the Wisconsin Lions Eye Bank Knight of
Sight Award which was given to a club member for the first time. WDT
2015
06 03 AWARDS
The Watertown Lions Club presented numerous awards to members at its
annual awards dinner on Monday at Turner Hall. Officers for 2015-16 were also
installed. Master of ceremonies for the event was Mark Hintzmann, Lions member
and past international director. Top
awards were given to Bill Schmidt, Leader Dog Founders Tribute Award; Mary
Braunschweig, Distinguished Service Award; Marlene Raether, Birch Sturm
Fellowship Award; and Jason Jones, Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.
Other recipients
were Ben Hoppenrath, Golf Award; Jane Hintzmann, Top Chef Award; and Edwin Wolf
III, Key Award. Perfect attendance awards were given to Larry and Mary
Braunschweig, Nancy Dishneau, Louis Hady, Mark and Jayne Hintzmann, Jason
Jones, Don and Dolly Laatsch, Jerry Rabbach, Bill
Schultz, Ray Vick, Edwin Wolf III and Fred Zastrow.
Jason
Jones was installed as president. Immediate past president is Ray Vick. Other
officers are Louis Hady, first vice president; Edwin Wolf III, second vice
president; James Raabe, third vice president; Dolly Laatsch, secretary; Jayne
Hintzmann, treasurer; Don Laatsch, lion tamer; and Mark Hintzmann, tail
twister. Directors are Don Laatsch and Nancy Dishneau, one year; and Cindy
Schuhmacher and John Wanke, two years.
Dave
Quamme and John Schuhmacher were installed as new members. WDT (names not indexed)
2024
09 27 WATERTOWN
LIONS CLUB MAKES DONATION TO WUSD
Watertown Lions
Club recently presented a donation of $850 to Watertown Unified School
District. The check was presented at
Monday’s WUSD Board Meeting. The Lions
Club held a “Stuff the Bus” event to raise the funds. They are intended to help offset the cost of
school supplies for students in need.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin