The February meeting of the Perry Lions Club featured Lion Dr. Harley McGuire, who told the members about his barbwire collection and showed many examples of barbwire that he has collected over the years.
Barbwire was invented in 1873 by Henry Rose, McGuire said, but the first patent was given to Joseph Glidden of DeKalb, Illinois. He said there are more than 450 types of the fencing material, and he has about 200 kinds in his collection.
McGuire explained that different types of wire required special tools in order to string the wire on fence posts.
McGuire’s interesting program was followed by the Perry Lions Club recognition of members who volunteered their time and talents to the Perry community.
Lion John Andorf and his wife, Linda Andorf, were congratulated for receiving the Perry Rotary Club’s Civil Servant of the Year Award. The Andorfs were honored for their work on the Christmas Toys for Tots drive. It was also pointed out that Linda Andorf is the president of the Perry School Board, and John Andorf is the mayor of Perry and chairman of the Perry Lions Club Kids Sight project.
The Perry Lions also recognized club members who volunteered with the Perry Chamber of Commerce’s annual BRR! Bike Ride to Rippey on Feb. 4. Lions Gary Becker, Mike Wilson, David Summerson and Harley McGuire worked four hours each in helping with the project.
A special thank you was given to Lion Rick Hoesing for assisting with the BRR! Ride and placing directional signs along the route for the 13th consecutive year. All of the volunteer work done by these men helped make the BRR! Bike Ride to Rippey a success.
Lion Raymond Harden, an enthusiastic birder, also volunteered his time to the community by giving beginning birders a PowerPoint instructional program at the Dallas County Conservation Department on Feb. 11.
During the business part of the meeting, the Perry Lions Club discussed their two major projects that will be coming soon: vision screening for preschool students and the Flags over Perry project.
The Perry Lions Club thanked the people in the Perry area who donated eyeglasses and hearing aids last year. More than 250 pairs of glasses were collected and four pairs of hearing aids. These used items have been sent to the Lions Club national office to be refurbished and will then distributed to needy people.
Ray Harden is the secretary of the Perry Lions Club.
