
The Motivator
Due to the determined effort of Australian Secretary for Lions Clubs International, Jim McLardie OAM, the first South Australian Lions Club was formed in 1961.
The Initial Reward
The Lions Club of City of Adelaide was chartered by District Governor Dr Howard Waters of District 201C on 1st July 1961. The Club Charter was presented to Charter President Bevan Rutt, OBE; other officers of the club being Charter First Vice President Colonel Ron Hone and Charter Secretary John Minks. Club projects were undertaken immediately with the first being the printing of 111,000 copies of a pamphlet aimed at making children aware of the threat of molestation.
The Rapid Growth
Following another visit by Australian Secretary Jim McLardie and with the assistance from those first charter members, Bevan Rutt, Colonel Ron Hone and John Minks, the second club – Lions Club of Adelaide Light – was formed in April 1962. In the same year the three clubs of Burnside, Edwardstown and Marion were formed with all three charters being presented by District Governor William R. Tresise, MBE, the recognized founder of Lions in Australia.
During this time of growth the number of Lions Clubs throughout Australia was escalating at the rate of about 50 per year with Colonel Ron Hone and Bevan Rutt playing leading roles in the South Australian expansion.