Wood Dale lions Fundraising Projects

As Recollected by Lion Larry Venere

 The Club was organized and chartered with 21 members on October 5, 1944.  Lion Ed Osburn sponsored my membership in 1961.  The club was composed of 30 members at that time.

Prior to my time, the Lions had built a house on the northwest corner of Foster and Cedar.  Lion Norm Mathisen served as general contractor and the membership did most of the work.  Lion Norm did the supervising and brick work.  The house was sold and the proceeds were used to buy some land on Edgebrook, south of Irving Park Road.  This was developed into a baseball field, complete with backstop and protective fencing in front of the dugouts and a home run fence in the outfield.  It seems we were forever digging fence post holes.  (I was in the club at that time.)  We named the park "Lionwood Park" and to this date it still bears that name.

In the 1970's we could no longer afford the insurance premiums so the property was sold to the newly formed Woo Dale Park District which was acquiring land for neighborhood parks.  We received $20,000 which was invested in CDs, and the interest would be spent back in the community for charitable programs.

Lions Annual Auction

Through the 1960's

:I've got two dollars, who'll give me two and a half"

That was Lion Bob Bender standing on a raised platform serving as Auctioneer.  This annual event was held on a weekend, in the fall, on Lion Rahe's property on the northwest corner of Irving Park and Catalpa.  With advance promotion, we solicited many items and cleaned out many basements and garages of refrigerators, washers, etc.  Needless to say, the residents loked forward to this activity because we would do the back-breaking work of moving the stuff.  Some of the items that were purchased from us came back year after year.

We also had a 30 X 30 industrial tent which housed the rummage and small brik-a-brac.  In the final year, we solicited an old used car from Long Ford, whose dealership was on Irving Park and Addison Street in Bensenville at that time.  Later it became Long Chevrolet on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst.

Long delivered a 1951 Nash to our site and we set up "Bash the Nash", 3 whacks for a quarter.  The windows and lights went first but the rest of the car was built like an inverted iron bath tub.  It was comical watching young bruisers trying to put dents in it.  Whacking the roof and hood was like hitting a trampoline.  The doors and side panels were pretty springy and didn't dent much, but all had fun trying. After the Auction, Victory Auto Wreckers towed it away and the remaining appliances were picked up by a junk dealer, gratis.

Boy Scout Troop 65 camped there on Saturday night, "watching" the merchandise.  Lion Tony Peters stored the tent at his place of business, Wood Dale Pipe & Supply, but over they years it began to rot so we asked the Wood Dale Volunteer Fire Department to torch it.  The auction got to be a tired activity and was discontinued.

A Clean Sweep

In the late 1950"s and early 60's we swept the townby selling brooms and door mats, door to door.  This was labor intensive and it kept our name in front of the towns people.  The canvassing was easier then since the town was much smaller.

Miss Wood Dale

In the middle 1950'S Lion Paul Stoeck proposed that the club sponsor a Miss Wood Dale Beauty Contest and Dance.  He chaired the activity until 1965.  This became a popular activity and raise funds which covered the expenses and then some.