BETHEL PARK LIONS CLUB was originally organized as the Lions Club of Bethel Township on December 9, 1942, and the Charter was presented by District Governor Dr. Earl G. Bauman on February 9, 1943.  Allen R. Reid was Charter President and Victor S. Pearson was charter Secretary.  Following is an excerpt from the minutes of the first regular Club meeting held on December 8, 1942 at Lacher’s Restaurant: “Those in attendance decided to organize a local Lions Club after hearing remarks by E. G. Moyer (International Representative), Dr. Arthur S. Haines (International Director), and Dr. Earl G. Bauman (District Governor), and a number of members from the Wilkinsburg and McKeesport Lions Clubs.  They decided to have forty Charter Members in the Club.  They decided to meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.  Officers were elected for the Club, and a number of committees were appointed.”

The Charter Presentation was held at Library Baptist Church on February 9, 1943, and the following is from the minutes: “The banquet was a big success.  We were visited by two O. P. A. agents whose names will not appear on the guest register as they did not enter the Church, but they did take our car license numbers.  Lion Grogan of the Wilkinsburg Lions Club rendered a novel selection on the piano by playing Yankee Doodle with his left hand, Dixie with his right hand, Mary had a Little Lamb with his thumbs, and sang ‘Way Down Upon the Suwanee river, all at the same time!  Miss McNary’s solos were well received.  It would have been hard to improve on the meal.”

Subsequent minutes show that the trouble with the O. P. A. was finally resolved, and Lion Shanahan at the March 9th meeting “suggested that we get started on something constructive.”  This suggestion has certainly been carried out during the past years, from Victory Gardens and War Loan Promotions to help for the deaf and blind, to Bethel Lions Park.  In 1953, largely through the efforts of Lion Lawrence A. Layton, the Club received a charter as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation called The Lions Club of Bethel Borough.  In 1964 the name was officially changed to Bethel Park Lions Club.

Quite a few Bethel Park Lions have served the District, including the Charter President, Lion Allan R. Reid, who was Zone Chairman; Edward T. Colteryahn, Deputy District Governor; Ronald G. Bugos, Deputy District Governor; Joseph Williams, Zone Chairman; Charles M. Keeling, Zone Chairman and Malcolm F. Lovejoy, District Governor 1958-59.  High point of the Club’s membership was April of 1954 when the Club had 147 members. Our club was also proud of Lion Carl L. Battistone who served as District Governor in 1989-90 and as State Council Chair. Lion Carl was also elected to serve as as an International Director. Lion Jay R. Wells III will serve as District Governor for 2007--08 and State Council Chair in 2008-09.