Meet our Team

The installation of officers was held on Tuesday, June 18th at Rose-Harms Legion for 2024 / 2025 Year
 Meet our Team
Lion Tim Kohlwey – Immediate Past President & LCIF Coordinator
Lion Dennis Pampel – President & Action Team Chair
Lion Darrel Blank – 1st Vice-President & Leadership Chair
Lion Phyllis Wiggins PhD - 2nd Vice-President & Program Chair
Lion Mike Hennig – Secretary
Lion John Krueger – Treasurer
  Lion Carrie Buri – Membership Chair
                                                      LIon Dan McKelvey – Service Chair                                                      
  Lion Julia Bronat – Leo Club Liaison
Lion Dave Antoine – Director -  Marketing & Publicity
Lion John Gassert – Director – Club Communication
Lion Tom Krueger – Tail Twister
Lion Al Richards – Lion Tamer
 


  

 
GRAFTON LIONS CLUB
75 YEARS of HISTORY


The history of the Grafton Lions Club is a long and storied one. Although this is our 75th
anniversary, our story really goes back 85 years to when the club was initially founded in 1937.
Its first meeting was held at the ‘Old Grafton Hotel’ (now the Hotel Grafton Apartments) on
November 30, 1937. The club was chartered in 1938 with a charter party held on February 2,
1938 at the Grafton Hotel. Dues were a whopping $6.95 cents compared to current dues of $75
per year. Alfred H. Mintzlaff belonged to one of Grafton’s founding families and was elected as
the club’s first president. Membership that first year totaled 23. By comparison, in recent years
club membership has grown as high as 111.
A Post War Club
The club held regular meetings through World War II but discontinued briefly at the end
of the war. It was re-formed in 1946-47 with Carl Erdmann as president thus creating the current
75th anniversary of the present charter.
There have been 74 different presidents including many significant people in Grafton
history including Ralph Zaun, John Long, Alfred Kohlwey, Bob Lauer, and many other
recognizable names. The leadership of the Grafton Lions Club has been the leadership of
individuals who nurtured and developed the thriving community that exits today. The 1947
regeneration produced a club of elite businessmen, 23 in number. This was a time when only one
member per business/occupation was permitted by the Club. Over the years the Club has
produced five (5) district governors and three (3) Wisconsin Lions Foundation presidents. The
Club has three (3) lifetime members including Carl Erdmann, Al Kohlwey and Bob Lauer.
Lifetime Membership is an elite member category that can be conferred to a club member who
has maintained active membership for twenty (20) years or more and rendered outstanding
service to the Grafton Lions and Lions Club International (LCI).

A New Focus on Fundraising and Youth Activities
The Club continued its success throughout the 1950’s with membership peaking at 36.
During this decade the Grafton Lions actively supported many youth activities, including Boy
Scouts. Other projects included a youth Christmas party and improvements in library facilities.
A new focus on fundraising began at this time also with the club sponsoring a stand at the
Ozaukee County Fair. A highlight of 1958 was an outing to Milwaukee County Stadium to watch
the World Champion Milwaukee Braves play baseball. By 1959, more attention was being paid
to support local school activities. The first sponsorship to Badger Boys State happened that year.
During this period of time the cost of a meal at club meetings was just $2.00 and the budget
report at one meeting that year showed a balance of $3.00.

Lime Kiln Park and the Grafton Medical Clinic
The 1960’s saw the Grafton Lions Club become involved in the community in some
major ways. In 1963 the club was instrumental in initiating discussion to save and refurbishing
the Village’s old lime kilns for their historical value and as the focal point of a future village
park. Today, Lime Kiln Park is one of Grafton’s greatest assets. Six years later the club again
became involved with a community initiative to bring a much-needed medical clinic to Grafton.
A ‘foundation’ was formed to facilitate financing this project and the Lions began a 2-year
fundraising effort in concert with other major donors to bring this project to fruition. Known as
the Grafton Medical Clinic, the facility served the Grafton community from 1973 until closure in
1986 after which the proceeds from sale of the property were redirected to fund a scholarship
program for high school seniors that continues to current times.

The club served the community in many other ways in the 1960’s. The Grafton Lions
began to reach out to children in need of eyeglasses and other vision items. Donations were
made to Wisconsin Lions Camp and the Lions continued to support Badger Boys State. The
Grafton Lions also began a tradition of recognizing and hosting the Grafton Fire Department
volunteers with an annual picnic in appreciation for their community service that continues
today, 54 years later. This was all accomplished with a membership that stood at 25-30 and an
average account balance of $1000.

A New District Governor and,
Annual Chicken Roast Elevate the Club
The 1970’s saw two milestone events for the Grafton Lions Club. In 1975, club member
Al Kohlwey became Grafton’s first District Governor serving both the Grafton Lions and
District 27-A2 Lions with distinction. Then in 1976, discussion was held, and the club moved
forward with a chicken barbeque as a new fundraiser. Over the years the annual Lions Chicken
Roast in early June has continually been a top fundraiser for the Club and in more recent history
has raised from $7,000 to $8,000 each year -all of which is donated back to the community.