On the evening of October 30, 1922, District Governor Dr. John W. Scott of District 1-A (there was only one District in Illinois) attended the first gala Charter night to present the Charter to the newly organized Aurora Club.  The new proud president, Lion Karl D. Waldo, accepted the charter on behalf of 39 new Lions and Aurora became the 467th club in Lionism.  Today, that number has grown to 44,6000 clubs in 190 nations and geographic areas and comprise 1.4 million members. 

 

   The members were energetic and met weekly at the Aurora Hotel, and as you would expect, the club grew steadily.  Although there were no major fund raising activities, there were small weekly or monthly projects to keep members active.  Unfortunately, along came the depression!  And, as in many places and with many clubs, membership dropped.  The low point came in early 1935 when, with only 46 members, the club was hard pressed to find a president.  

 

  None of the vice presidents wanted to tackle the job, but after some coaxing a relatively new member, young Dr. Richard K. Collins, consented to become president, but only if Louis Frauenhoff would act as secretary.  Louis’  job was to last twelve years.  The club immediately prospered.  In a matter of weeks twenty-five members were taken in, and Melvin Jones himself came out to congratulate the club.                

 

   In 1939 the Aurora club moved into New District 1-D and into the limelight by furnishing one of its members, Wesley Leinweber (former superintendent of Mooseheart) to the high office of District Governor.  Some years later the club was again moved into another district.  This time is was District 1-J, and again the Aurora club was privileged to furnish a District Governor.   Lion Hal Carr served his club and his district a District Governor for two consecutive terms from the spring of 1952 to the spring of 1954.

 

    In 1982, once again the club furnished another District Governor for District 1-J, Lion Maurice W. Pennock.  By this time the district was the second largest district in the State of Illinois.  In 1983-84 the club had a Deputy District Governor, Lion Ray Roe.  Then in 1984-86, Lion Jim Argyilan served the District as Zone Chairman.    

 

    In the early “Forties” the club was young, big and vigorous and wanted to do something.  But the war was on, and they had to turn to Washington for the answer.   War Bonds had to be sold and in late 1943 the club sold $250,000 worth of war bonds in Aurora in one month.  The club had a B-17 bomber named “The City of Aurora” in their honor.    The following year the club sold $300, 000 worth of war bonds and received a further citation from Washington.  

 

    About this time meetings moved to the Elks Club and shortly thereafter to the Leland Hotel.  Another project taken on by this group of eager beavers was the expansion of Lionism to include other towns in the area.  They spent many days contacting future Lions and in the spring of 1945 sponsored their first club in Somonauk.  Later they sponsored two other clubs at Yorkville and DeKalb.  These three clubs in turn were to sponsor others, especially in DeKalb County.  

   

    The club still did not have a major fund raising activity, but had the manpower, enthusiasm and energy to get one going.  Under the direction of Lion President Peter Lies, the club began its broom sale program in 1953.  It started slowly, but along with the work there was play and fellowship not gained at noon meetings, so it prospered until 1985 when it was replaced with a car raffle.  

   

    In 1959 the club started to hold its meetings in the Starlite Room of the First Federal Savings and Loan Building, which later became Enterprise Savings and Loan.    For a short period the club met at the new YWCA and then back to Enterprise and by 1986 had moved to the Valley National Bank Building where the club continues to meet.  

   

    In the past years the club has joined with other Illinois Lions Clubs in a candy day project in October. The Lion projects have funneled thousands of dollars into charitable programs including:  sight conservation, Leader Dogs for the Blind, eyeglasses for the needy, Camp Lions for blind and deaf children CARE, testing for Glaucoma, money donations to Dixon School, and a Van-Bus for the John F. Kennedy Workshop in Aurora.    Sensory Garden at Blackberry Farm designed for the blind was a project of the Aurora Club.  It was built under the club’s supervision, and the Aurora Club was the largest contributor.

 

    Another major club project was a $27,000 contribution to the Lions of Illinois Foundation for the Eye Research Center built on the University of Illinois Chicago Campus. 

 

    In the 1980’s, Aurora was privileged to have one remaining charter member, Louis A. Frauenhoff who had 60 years of continuous service at the time of his death.  After 65 years of service the club had 17 active members with over 25 years of service and 29 active members with over 10 years of service.    The Aurora Noon Lions club had been directly of indirectly responsible for the sponsorship of 14 clubs in the district.  

 

    In the late 1980’s the Aurora Noon Lions club reached another milestone with the admission of women to the group.  The first two women were Gloria Ulrich and Albert Solfisburg.  

 

 

    Today the Aurora Noon Lions Club flourishes with 58 active members.  The club raises funds to support programs for sight and hearing impaired children and adults from Aurora.  Over the years, the Aurora Noon Lions Club has provided approximately 75 pairs of eyeglasses per year to needy children in the Headstart Preschool Program, children in the 7th through 9th grades and adults.  For the last 12 years the club has also provided five hearing aids per year to needy children and adults. 

 

    According to John Thill, an Aurora Lions since 1942, the Aurora Noon Lions Club provided lighted canes to every blind person in Aurora during the 1950’s.  John remains a very active ember of the club and as Philanthropy Chairman, arranges the appointment for eye examinations and glasses with the generous assistance of the Brenart Eye Clinic in Yorkville.

 

    The Club also provides scholarship assistance each year for Aurora student entering Waubonsee Community College for the purpose of learning to work with deaf students, provides scholarship 

assistance for blind and deaf children to attend camp, a senior project for World Service Day and various other community projects as needed. 

 

    Fund raising for these projects is accomplished through Lion Candy, sales of vacation packages and fundraisers throughout the year.