The Ridgeway Lions Club was an important part of Ridgeway’s history. The club here was chartered in October 1946 during a banquet held at the high school. The Pattonsburg Lions Club, who had helped get the new club organized, presented the 77 founding members of the new Ridgeway Lions Club with a gold-plated bell. The founding officers included: Jack G. Williams, president; C. L. Foutch, secretary; Ivan N. Anderson, treasurer; Miller Brown, Lion tamer; Manly Claytor, tail twister. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Oct 30, 1946)
The new Lions immediately got busy working with other area towns to protest an increase in phone service charges they felt were excessive. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Nov 13, 1946) They went on to sponsor numerous events in Ridgeway such as the Ridgeway Farmers Fair, the Harrison County District Field Day and Plowing Contest, turkey dinners, concerts, and many other events. They were always working to improve the community, but their primary mission was to help people conserve their sight. In 1978, a Blythedale couple wrote to the St. Joseph News-Press asking where they could get help with eyeglasses. They were shut-ins and needed help even getting to the eye doctor. The paper put the couple in touch with Carl Emry, president of the Ridgeway Lions Club who made arrangements not only for the glasses but also for transportation to Bethany for the exam. Emry said that “Sight conservation is our main project.” (St. Joseph News-Press, Jan 15, 1978) The Ridgeway Lions disbanded a few years ago after donating their building on Main Street to the city. The city is going to lease it to the RCBA who will use it for their events.
