CUPERTINO LIONS CLUB HISTORY
In 1776, as the second expedition of Don Juan Bautista de Anza made its way north from Monterey, to establish the Presidio of St. Francis, they made camp in the lush valley that now features the City of Cupertino.
The Indians who inhabited the land enjoyed an idyllic existence along the fresh-water creeks. Father Font, de Anza's Chaplain, christened the creek next to the de Anza encampment "Arroyo San Joseph Cupertino" after his patron saint, of Cupertino, Italy (Saint Joseph was known for his ability to fly or levitate which may account for the Cupertino Host Lions Club having so much fun or levity).
The first American settler of note was Captain Elisha Stevens. He began farming after leading the first successful crossing of the treacherous Sierra Nevada in 1844 (no wonder they named a creek after him).
Developing around the central crossroads of Stevens Creek Boulevard and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, the town had a general store, post office and blacksmith shop. In 1904, the town was known by the original name of Cupertino after John Doyle revived the name for his Winery.
Later on, the Mariani Orchards and Cali Brothers feed and grain operations helped establish Cupertinoans an important agricultural and commercial center in the valley.
By 1951, Cupertino was still a small crossroads town surrounded by orchards halfway between Saratoga and Sunnyvale. But it was growing, and a few far-sighted men in the community felt that it would need a service club to help with this growth, one that would be interested in its youth and their welfare. These men were Don Bandley, Anson Bianchini, Ed Cali, George Fernandez, Sam Lawson, Charlie Rifredi, Fremont Simpson, Neal Thornley, and Ernie Wasson. They organized the Cupertino Lions Club to meet this objective and were sponsored by the Beverly-Burbank Lions Club.
Bianchini, Ed Cali, George Fernandez, Sam Lawson, Charlie Rifredi, Fremont Simpson, Neal Thornley, and Ernie Wasson organized the Cupertino Lions Club to meet this objective and were sponsored by the Beverly-Burbank Lions Club.
The funds raised support over 30 youth and welfare community projects including the Lions Blind Center of Santa Clara Valley, Camp Costanoan (the Crippled Children's Camp also known as VIA), Books Aloud, The Ear of the Lion, the A.J. Robinson Fund, the Fish-A-Thon and the Diabetes Society.
An important part of the Blind Center's operating budget is provided by the CHL. Camp Costanoan was the recipient of a pool cabana, a van, and a dome cover for the pool from CHL. Books Aloud provides cassette tapes for the blind and The Ear of the Lion aids the deaf. The A.J. Robinson Fund provides a mobile health-screening unit for our district's use. The Santa Clara Valley Diabetes Society helps screen and treat people for that disease. Lion Pete Camarda conceived the Fish-A-Thon in 1960 by as a fishing picnic for physically and mentally disadvantaged children and adults. It is held each year at the Voss Quarry near Stevens Creek Reservoir and is attended by 75 to 100 physically and mentally disadvantaged children and adults.
PDG late Al Richter and his wife Margaret conceived the Lions Flag Day Program, now a national program, in 1969. Each year flags are presented to all third graders at a selected School, along with an information sheet all about our flag. From its Northern California beginnings, the program has mushroomed to include over 750 Lions Clubs in California and Nevada, plus over 400 clubs from other states. Altogether, over 5 million flags have been presented to children across the country since the program started. Cupertino Host Lions acts as a distributor for these flags.
The CHL has fun too. Each year many social and leisure events are held. Fall and winter feature the Coot Shoot, and the Multiple District Convention. Spring rounds out the year with, the Sweetheart Brunch, the Tail Twister Dinner, the District 4-C6 Convention and the International Convention, and finally the Charter Night and Installation Dinner.
The Gary Bianchini Memorial Wrestling Tournament is held each year to honor one of our own.
The times change, members come and go, new members come in, and the world spins on its axis, but the Cupertino Host Lions Club continues on with its service. Projects are outdated, projects are improved and new projects evolve. The continuation of these noble efforts is due primarily to the dedication and family-like cohesiveness of the Cupertino Host Lions and their Ladies.
