Chilton, Cox, Douglas Are New Members

The Sanford Lions Club inducted three new members Thursday, Oct. 15, and recognized more than a dozen members for recent volunteer work. An informative program on the history of the Endor Iron Furnace was given by Lion Worth Pickard.
Past District Governor Dave Martin conducted the induction ceremony for new members Bonita Cox, Janet Chilton, and Robert Douglas. Their sponsors were Anne Edens and Jay Moore. Mrs. Cox is a retired educator and wife of Lion Everett Cox. Mrs. Chilton is a local realtor while Douglas owns and operates a cabinet business.
Lion Avron Upchurch, chairman of the club’s vision screening program in local schools, gave a report on screenings conducted in September at three Lee County schools in cooperation with school nurses. A total of 974 students were screened at Lee County High School, Southern Lee High School and West Lee Middle School during Health-A-Rama events.
Upchurch recognized Lion volunteers Roy Jernigan, Tommy Mann, Jr., Charles Martin, Wendell McGee, Billy Miller, Reggie Miller, Hans Niedworok, Cliff Pepper, Bucky Phillips, Ismael (Ish) Rivera, Jim Turner, John Walden, Bill Whiteman and Tony Williams. They received a rousing round of applause for their work of furthering the Lion’s primary mission of preventing blindness and vision problems.
Lion Jimmy Bridges was program chairman for the weekly meeting. He introduced old friend and fellow long-time Lion Worth Pickard who presented a fascinating history lesson on the Endor Iron Furnace located northwest of Sanford on the Deep River in the Cumnock community.
He announced there will be a tour of the historic site on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. with refreshments provided. While many area residents support the hard work all ready done to promote the site for a state historic park, many have never visited the furnace’s remains and the Endor preservation group hope’s this event will promote more support.
Endor Iron Furnace was built in the early 1860’s and provided a large portion of iron needed for Confederate ammunition and weapons during the War Between the States. It’s product was shipped down the Deep River and then Cape Fear River to Fayetteville to the military armory. Business slowed after the war and it closed around 1874. It’s history is interwoven with other significant developments of the time including the Egypt Coal Mine nearby and the Deep River and Cape Fear Navigating Co. which built locks to allow shipping along the waterways and finally the railroads that surpassed water transportation.
Pickard said this all provides a solid base for an outstanding state historic park that would be a significant attraction for the Sanford area. Several government grants and generous private contributions have been made to the preservation project, but much more work is needed. The project has the support of all area state and federal representatives, Pickard said.
Lion President Richard Hendley presided over the meeting. Jimmy Bridges delivered the Invocation and Bucky Phillips led in the Pledge of Allegiance.