There have been many men and women who have left their mark as Lions Club members in Orange over the years. So the club decided to honor some of their elite members by creating a Hall of Fame. And they couldn’t have opened the door to the hall with a better person.
Monday night Stump Weatherford was inducted as the first member of the Hall of Fame. Weatherford joined the Lions Club in 1979 and even after 44 years of service, his decorated gold vest is never far away. He’s always ready to serve, to explain what Lions do, to recruit new members, and to explain that no matter what service club you’re in, it’s important to give back to your community.
Weatherford, 77, is a guy that doesn’t just talk, he does the walking as well. He has been honored with the organizations top award and honors.
LCI Melvin Jones Fellow
Texas Lions Foundation Fellow
Lions Camp Jack Wiech Fellow
LCI Leadership Award
LCI President Award
District 2-S1 Governor in 1997-98
MD2 as Council Chair in 2010-11
And for his tremendous work with the Lions Eye Bank, he also received another award from the organization Monday as he was presented with the Eddie Munger Fellowship Award.
Lion Jared Wilson, who introduced and inducted Weatherford said, “Stump is a constant reminder of what Lionism is. He is the epitome of our motto, We Serve. Lion Stump has traveled the world for the cause of Lionism and has brought great fame to our small organization. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many Lions from around the globe. Many ask about our historical carnival. But all ask if I know Stump.”
Whereas many are recruited, Weatherford wanted to be a Lion. And so did many others as you had to be placed on a waiting list back then to become a member. “The ballroom at the Jack Tar Hotel (where they held their weekly meetings) only held 150 people so that’s how many members they could have,” Weatherford said. “I was proud to become a Lion because the Lions were respected members of the community. We helped so many and that’s rewarding. From buying someone a new pair of glasses, to ringing the bell for Salvation Army, to paying for a kid to go to Lions Summer Camp who otherwise may not get that opportunity. And of course everyone loved the carnival.” Stump and wife Dayle have been working the sno-cone booth at the carnival for many years.
“I just want to thank everyone that had a hand in this (honor). They really did good keeping me and Dayle from finding out.” the Hall of Famer said. “I thank everyone that came, especially my family and my friends that came in from out of town. It was a special night.”
-Gary Stelly, KOGT-
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