Grygla Lion’s Club celebrates 50-year charter members

The Grygla Lion’s Club was officially started in 1971, which makes this year the 50th anniversary! When the club first began in the winter of ’71, there were 79 Charter members on the list. A few of those founding members are still playing an active role in the club today! 

Recently, five Lion’s charter members were presented with a 50-year Milestone Chevron Award to commemorate and recognize their years of service as a Lion. From the smallest project to the largest undertaking, these gentlemen and their years of service have made a huge impact on the Grygla Community. Receiving the awards were Billy Wikert, Sheldon Peterson, Ralph Rundell, Richard Engelstad and Ronald Engelstad. 

One of the first projects of the Lion’s Club was to begin raising funds for a community center in town; they were successful in that undertaking with the Grygla Community Center still being a place of gathering today. The Lions were also instrumental in getting the Grygla Eagle Newspaper started and were in charge of selling the first subscriptions back in 1973. Along with the Jaycees, the Lion’s Club also helped build the tennis courts in Grygla. Charter Officers of the Grygla Lion’s were: Roy Nordby, Sheldon Peterson, Howard Hendrickson, Amos Thompson, Ken Rustin, Orlin Ostby, Morris Hermanson, Arden Thomas, Henry Holte, Bob Santl, Ralph Klein and Stewart Sistad.

As of current day, Lon Englund is serving as President of the Grygla Lion’s Club. Presidential duties include leading and overseeing the club and all of its decisions, and leading monthly meetings.

The local club still takes part in many community activities. Each year, the smelt fry is the biggest fundraising project they organize and host, though due to COVID-19, that has been on pause since 2019, but will hopefully resume next year.

Money raised by the club goes towards the Grygla Community Center, Grygla School scholarships and numerous school activities and clubs, including the local 4-H club.

Lion Fundraisers also benefit the city and some of its improvements. The Grygla Lion’s Club also provides funding to LCIF, which benefits a variety of international projects that include sight, hearing, diabetes, and leader dog organizations.

In addition to benefitting our community in some of the ways mentioned, Lion members also host a Senior Night each spring for graduates and their parents. They volunteer to clean 2 miles of Adopt-A-Highway around the 6-mile corner, help at Fall Fest events, which includes serving a big Sunday morning breakfast, and members coordinate community blood drives throughout the year.

At many events in the community, it’s likely you’ll see a Grygla Lion there helping out and volunteering their time and effort. Being a Lion is a willingness to serve others and that’s evident with our local club and the long-standing members, such as the five charter members here who were presented with their awards.

Today, the Chapter is 50 years old and thriving, thanks to members’ willingness to continuously serve and lead. Membership sits at a roughly 75, making it one of the largest clubs in the state, which is impressive for such a small community. 

The Grygla Lion’s are always looking for new members and invite you to consider joining. Congratulations to these long-standing members. We thank them for their service to the community.

25-year celebration

An article originally published in the January 25th, 1996, issue of the Grygla Eagle recognized the quarter-century of service by the Grygla Lion’s. There was an anniversary party for all Lions, spouses, and their invited guests to attend. The article read:

Do you remember when Ralph Rundell flew over the head of a donkey when Grygla Lion’s played Goodridge Lions in donkey basketball?

How about the time that all the older bachelor Lions bought good homemade food and female company at a Lion’s basket social?

Do you remember when the old MarBell hall was torn down and the new Grygla Community Center was started?

And the old roller-skating parties – remember them?

Where you there when Rudy Perpich spoke at the Lion’s Ladies Night banquet? Remember the long dresses all the ladies wore? 

Can you picture in your mind the Norwegian Snowmobile Lawrence Neuschwander created for his prize-winning entry in the Lion’s Sno Fest parade?

These and many other memories will be shared when the Grygla Lion’s Club celebrates a quarter-century of fellowship and service to the community. 

The Lion’s international motto is: “We Serve.” Serve, for the Grygla Lion’s, often has a double meaning. One of the ways Grygla Lion’s have served the community over the past 25 years is with their frequent Sunday breakfasts at the Community Center. Because the Sunday breakfasts have been an ongoing project for the past 25 years, the 25-year anniversary Lion’s pin has been designed with a lion wearing a chef’s cap and apron and serving pancakes. The new pin was designed by Lion Joy Nordby.

The anniversary party will begin with a social hour from 6-7pm, followed by a banquet meal. Recognitions, memories, musical entertainment and special guests will be included in the program. 

Article from February 1st, 1996 (after the banquet)

The Community Center was full to capacity for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Grygla Lion’s Club. 150 people were served a banquet meal, with a program and a dance to follow. Guests from a number of nearby towns were in attendance, including Argyle, Thief River Falls, Roseau, Goodridge and Wannaska. Lion Ronald Engelstad, a 25-year charter member, served as MC for the program. Lion Ralph Rundell, also a 25-year charter member, introduced the governor and other guests, and 25-year charger member Roy Nordby gave a presentation on past history of the club.

Special guests included Lion District Governor Wayne Swanson of Crookston, who installed new members and gave a brief presentation, and Rev. Terry Cuppet, who entertained with vocal and guitar music, and also talked about the seeing eye dog program. Pastor Arlen Lloyd of Gatzke gave the invocation and benediction.

Lion President Orvis Haugen presented certificates and/or pins to the following charter members: Amos Thompson, Sheldon Peterson, Roy Nordby, Ronald Engelstad, Richard Engelstad, Billy Wikert, Basil Stavenes, Melvin Wilkens, Ray Sorenson, Wallace Sistad, Karl Sundberg, Stewart Sistad, Ralph Rundell, Palmer Lian, Harry Johaneson, Bob Prestebak, Leonard Newhouse, Palmer Holte, Sheldon Nomeland, Roland Klamar, and Bob Santl.