The Trenton Lions Club met Tuesday, Feb. 11 in the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall.
President Seth Cox led the pledge to the U.S. flag, followed by prayer by Rev. Steve Martin. George Moore served as tail twister.
Club member Peter Trombley gave a presentation on the history of the soft drink industry and the local Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Trenton Coca-Cola Bottling Company is a locally-owned family business, started in 1893 when George and Mamie Simons purchased Trenton Bottling Works from T. W. Scheafer. In April 1899, Simons received a letter from Coca-Cola inviting him and his wife to contract with Coca-Cola to become the first nationally distributed beverage company. After fulfilling the agreement of purchasing 10 shares of Coca-Cola stock and selling 200 gallons of syrup annually for three years, Simons was issued a contract to manufacture and distribute Coca-Cola in glass bottles in 1904. Trenton Bottling Company, which soon was named Trenton Coca-Cola, went through several upgrades in the bottling equipment and processing throughout the 20th Century. A new building and bottling line were completed in 1981, new bottling equipment was installed to accommodate packages for new flavors in 1990 and Peter Trombley, great-grandson of George and Mamie Simons, became the new owner in 1993. Trombley presented each member with a Kansas City Chiefs world champions can of Coca-Cola.
The next regular club meeting will be at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Dr. John Holcomb will be the program chairperson.
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