The club was founded only five years after the International Lions Club was established.

“The Jamestown Club is the oldest Lions organization in the Western New York area,” said Mike Yost, Lions district governor.

Current President Jeff Smith added, “The first members were businessmen and prominent professional men in the city.”

Included in the memorabilia on display at the Double Tree Hotel in Jamestown, location of the dinner party, was the original newspaper article announcing the start of the club including pictures of the first Lions.

The Jamestown Lions Club is celebrating its100th anniversary. Members are pictured during a dinner party Oct. 26 to mark the occasion. Submitted photos

“Our club is fortunate to have a large selection of items from the past 100 years including original proclamations documenting the establishment of the club, group photographs of past members, newspaper clippings of the service work done, plaques showing the baseball teams sponsored by the club, and programs of anniversary celebrations throughout its rich history,” Smith said.

Many items were on display during the dinner and was a focal point of the evening.

During the celebration program, past presidents Steve Maggio and Guy Ditonto made the announcement of the creation of the Jamestown Lions Club Charles L. Telford Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is a tribute to Telford, who passed away this year.

Telford was a 50-plus-year member of the Jamestown Lions, and he was responsible for sponsoring several current members into the club. The scholarship will be granted through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to a Jamestown High School graduate who demonstrates integrity, leadership and a devotion to service as these were the characteristics of Telford.

Mike Yost, Lions district governor of Western New York, presented Telford’s family with the International Presidents Award, which is the second highest honor given to any Lion.

During the program, members also honored the memory of Jon Teigeler, who passed away this year. Teigeler was a devoted member of the club, having “perfect attendance” to all meetings for over 50 years.

In an evening full of highlights, a congratulatory letter was sent to the Jamestown Lions Club by former president of the United States Jimmy Carter, who is a longstanding member of Lions Club International.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, who was in attendance for the celebration, presented the club with a proclamation for their 100th anniversary. State Sen. George Borrello also sent a proclamation to mark the occasion.

“The evening was a time of reflection for the current members of the Jamestown Lions Club,” Smith said. “Their long history in Jamestown shows how important service to others has been for generations of people living in the city.”

For more information about the Jamestown Lions Club, visit jamestownlionsclub.org.