The Sanford Lions Club will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding this Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Lions Fairgrounds. Guest speaker will be Lions International President Sid L. Scruggs, III, of Vass who assumed the club’s worldwide top post a month ago in Sydney, Australia at the Lions International Convention.
Local President Dr. Marvin Joyner said this hallmark event will showcase the outstanding contributions and service made to Sanford and Lee County by Sanford Lions since 1935 when the club was sponsored by the Raleigh Lions Club. The Sanford club has gone on to sponsor eight new Lions Clubs and has produced twelve district governors from among its ranks.
Six of those past district governors have worked for months as a committee planning the Aug. 5 celebration, led by Chairman Avron Upchurch. Others are Russel Mann, Milton Somers, Tony Williams, Roy Jernigan and David Martin. Club members and their spouses and guests will enjoy a dinner prepared by Sanford’s Chef Greg Hamm amid special decorations. Banquet expenses are covered by private member contributions and not charitable funds raised by the club.
At the club’s weekly meeting Thursday, July 22, former Lee School Board Chairman Bill Tatum was the guest speaker, introduced by program chairman Charles LaRue. Tatum stressed that Lee County’s school system and its more than 9,600 students are in good shape and rank well when compared to area counties, even Wake County where some business leaders think students get a superior education. In fact, student testing data in recent years shows Lee Schools outpacing those in Wake and other surrounding counties.
Tatum pointed out the great diversity in Lee County public school students where now whites make up only 45 percent of the student population. Hispanic is second with 26.4 percent while blacks make up 22.6 percent followed by American Indian and Multi racial with 5.1 percent. Asians make up less than one percent of students. There are 24 native languages spoken by students in Lee County schools, he added.
Tatum, whose current term runs to 2012 on the school board, said he is confident in telling everyone with whom he talks that Lee County Schools provide a top quality education and operate as efficiently as any in North Carolina with the resources made available. He praised the work of all local educators from the central office staff to teachers in the classroom, saying they work very hard often under very difficult circumstances Lions President Joyner thanked Tatum for his remarks and also praised the work of everyone in education.
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