As Gig Harbor Lions Club entered into the next half century of its service to humanity, the Club was to grow in membership and involvement in supporting new programs both in the region and internationally. Sight conservation had been the altruistic endeavor of Lions Clubs International ever since Helen Keller appeared before a Lions convention in its early days. It was in 1968 when the Washington-Northern Idaho Lions Sight Conservation Foundation was established; with White Cane Days as its primary support. From those modest beginnings, there was a surge in the 80s; now the Foundation operates the world's fifth-largest Lions Eye Bank in Seattle (10,000 cornea transplants by 1994) and low vision clinics in three Washington cities. The Northwest Lions Hearing Conservation Foundation was founded in 1981 to provide for research and education for the hearing impaired and to loan hearing aids to the needy.

The early 1980s began an era when the Gig Harbor natives greeted the many new arrivals to the community. Retirees of national corporations decided that Gig Harbor was indeed a wonderful place to live. Membership in Gig Harbor Lions had 112 members from 1981 to 1983. A handful of retired Army colonels joined to lend their leadership abilities and to "take command" of the Club; their presence was so strong that Gig Harbor was often referred to by other Lions as "The Colonels Club" - much to the chagrin of the native sons and veteran Lions members of other armed services.

The sixth decade began in a musical mood. PZC Hal Best organized and directed the Christmas Carol Festival with five local churches and over a dozen singing groups (including our Lion Aires Glee Club) participating. The annual songfest had a run of six years. Lion Hal also directed the Gig Harbor Lions musical contingent at the District 19-C conventions for the next seven years, taking first place in the Singing Quartet contest during six of those seven years. As well, the top prize was brought home twice in the Novelty Band category. Our fine melodic groups went on to the Multiple District contests, with the singing quartet winning first place in 1982 and in 1983 and the novelty band winning first place in 1983.

Not to be outdone in the Lions Clubs contests, beginning in 1981 the several editors of The Lionaire won the first place award for publishing the best club bulletin in the District for six consecutive years, and was judged to be the best in the entire Multiple District 19. Through the subsequent years The Lionaire became the hallmark for other clubs to emulate and consistently has been in contention for the blue ribbon.

Even further in the Lions Clubs contests, Lion Howard Brownlee competed in the "Five Minute Achievement Talks," garnering two firsts and two seconds at the District level and one second place at the MD-19 competitions. And, finally, the Induction Ceremony team was awarded a first and a third at the District contests.

Gig Harbor Lions were really beginning to roar in leadership in the early 80s. Past President Bob Angster was elected as the Zone Chairman in 1981-82 and to District Governor for 1982-83; Lion Bob was instrumental in Gig Harbor Lions' sponsoring and forming yet another club in the area - Key Peninsula Lions Club was chartered on September 30,1983. Two years later, Past District Governor Bill Wilbert was recognized when presented with the Lions Clubs International President's Award for humanitarian service.

It was not all work and no play by any means. Several seminal social events were instituted as annual affairs in 1984. A Christmas party for children and grandchildren ...a White Elephant Party to exchange by drawing of unwanted Christmas gifts acquired by the adults at a potluck dinner, and near Saint Valentine's Day a Sweetheart Luncheon featuring a fashion show for the wives of the all-male club. That summer was the first of what became known as the annual (Harvey & Clara) McCabe's McPicnic on the shores of Lay Inlet of Puget Sound. It was a very social year!

As for community service during this period, the Lions undertook remodeling of the Gig Harbor Library they had built. A community dinner was done to raise $2,600 in seed money for the project. Each succeeding year until 1986 there was something new added, under the direction of Lion Glenn Gehnke - hundreds of lineal feet of bookshelves, painting of the exterior, landscaping with some shrubbery and benches, safety features such as emergency exit doors, and large print books for the visually impaired. As previously noted, the building was converted to house the Gig Harbor-Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce in 1990.

Aside from completing the library, there were few major "hands-on" projects in the mid-80s. There was a continual focus on youth activities in the form of monetary support. Such organizations as the local Law Enforcement Explorers, Boy Scouts, and Campfire Girls were to benefit. As well, the Club was active in sponsoring the sending of youngsters to Boys and Girls State in our state capitol, to student conferences in our nation's capitol, and a youth exchange program to send a student to the Soviet Union. Significant amount of support was given to budding drug and alcohol prevention programs for our young people with nearly $2,100 raised to sponsor high school activities and teen dances.

To provide capital to accomplish the growing number of community and worldwide projects and programs, fund-raising was realigned and expanded: Lions Mints were placed in retail establishments for sale, our Lions families saved sales slips from the Gig Harbor Lion owned Thriftway grocery store for cash rebates to our treasury, and our basements and attics were emptied to contribute their contents for the "Second-Time-Around Sale" a local Lion-sized garage sale.

1986 was the year when the son of Past President George Stoner asked for help in an Eagle Scout project. The Gig Harbor Lions, always ready to assist our young people, were the driving force in erecting welcoming signs in mini-parks at three city entrances. The signs included the logos and meeting days and places of our local service clubs and fraternal groups, and displayed them in attractive settings of shrubs and plantings. Additional flora was situated around town to further beautify our downtown.

In 1987 the Club became engaged in the Lions' Diabetes Awareness program. It joined some District 19-C clubs to participate in the first District-sponsored Journey for Diabetes. The "journey" was a 5O-mile running and bicycling relay from Mount Rainier to Orting to gather pledges for the Pierce County Diabetes Association. The contest was exhausting but successful, but our five-man team needed a three year respite before they would rejoin the trial.

During the late 8Os, the increased success in raising funds allowed the Lions to increase its assistance to the less fortunate. Major contributions were made to Peninsula FISH in Gig Harbor to provide food and other items to those in need during the holiday season, and to the Tacoma Rescue Mission for food, clothing, and shelter to the homeless. Lion Arch Carpenter began the Women's Purdy Prison Pet Program as a 19C-6 project.

An annual Health & Safety Expo was organized to provide medical examinations and resource information free of charge to the elderly and low-income families on the peninsula. Proposed by and led by Lion Ray Zimmerman, the Club was a co-sponsor with the Gig Harbor Altrusa Club, brought in the Lions hearing test van, and assisted with sight conservation materials and resources.

Two new fund-raisers were originated: The first was the sale of tickets to a Pacific Coast League baseball game. Our local merchants purchased bundles of complimentary ticket for distribution to their patrons; in return, the firm's see their names in lights and in advertising during Gig Harbor Night (or Day) at a Tacoma Tigers game. The second fund-raiser sponsored by Gig Harbor Lions was a Volksmarch. For an entry fee, participants were given a colorful pin to admire during their leisurely stroll - or brisk walk - around the environs of our picturesque Maritime City.

Other one-time money-raisers included the sale of tickets to a Tacoma Stars Soccer game, the sale of aerial view photographs of Gig Harbor, an auction of Surplus items of the old Peninsula Light Company headquarters, and the close supervision of a Hole-in-One contest at Canterwood Golf Course to collect over a thousand dollars for the high schools' drug-free party.

As a fitting tribute to the founder, The Lions Clubs International Foundation designated the Melvin Jones Fellowship as its highest honor. The award is given to those individuals who have continuously displayed an exceptional generosity, compassion, and concern for others in their performance of their humanitarian service. The first such fellowship awarded to a Gig Harbor Lion was presented to Past District Governor Bob Angster in 1989.

Further Melvin Jones Fellowships were given the next two years to our affable Past President Harvey McCabe for his long-time service to Lionism and to our beloved "Master Story Teller" Glenn Behnke for his dedicated work to benefit the community.

The Club devoted its main hands-on efforts to several minor construction jobs for the elderly and handicapped. One related project was the obtaining of a wheelchair-access van for a single mother of two handicapped children. There were several "catastrophic medical situations" which were addressed both by the Club and individual members.

In 1991 the Club signed-on to assume responsibility for the bi-monthly litter patrols along a two-mile stretch of State Highway 16 adjacent to the city. It is a part of Adopt-A-Highway, the nationwide program that had just come to the State of Washington. In preparation for this new program, for a number of years the Club had been perfecting its trash-gathering expertise with a spring outing with the local Citizens Against Litter campaign.

Our outdoors athletes conditioned their legs and renewed their vigor and their resolve for the Journey for Diabetes. The five-man team won the prize for the highest amount of pledges collected and finished in first place in the relay.

The Gig Harbor Lions Club celebrated its sixtieth charter anniversary in 1991. It was a gala affair at the Canterwood Golf & Country Club with former state Governor Dixy Lee Ray as the guest speaker. Always frank and forthright, the colorful and controversial scientist regaled with humor and provoked deep thought of Lions and their ladies, a host of international dignitaries, and an impressive array of twenty-two Gig Harbor past presidents. To the delight of over 160 in attendance at the banquet, Bert Uddenberg, Jr. reprised the Club history. Two of Bert's memorable remarks follow.

"Gig Harbor Lions have always been the leaders in this community. That goes back to the days when we first became a city, with the city government being dominated by Lions. Others followed on the city council - Ed Hoppen and Keith Uddenberg come to mind. And let's not forget the mayor's office. We have had eight mayors... two were past presidents of this Club, two were wives of Gig Harbor Lions, and one was a Peninsula Lion - five of eight - that's a pretty good batting average for any club."

"I personally rank Colonel Bob Angster as the number one Lion over the past sixty years, but nothing would please Past District Bob himself or [his widow] Margaret than to have someone surpass his many accomplishments and dedication and take that honor from him."