I'm not one to collect anything, including merchandise or footy jumpers or the like, but as a fellow Foundation Member, I have kept every single membership pack (97-20), including badges, stickers, lanyard, fridge magnets (other than the membership card, I've not used any of it) and any other snail mail correspondence i.e the Lions Tale paper, team posters, Financial Reports, End of Season Review Magazine and the mag that the club sent members at the commencement of the season (all of the stopped at least 10 years ago when everything went digital), which is a shame because they were such a good memento and records of each season. In addition to other bits and pieces acquired from the club, including special draft books I got from the club at the special Melbourne Draft Nights, all of it is in pristine condition and stored in a plastic container given none of it is has ever been used as such.I had a similar issue. Joined the club from inception as a full AFL member with Lions Club Support package and then a few years later the club said due to a problem with their database they couldn't confirm when I became a member so they would only count it from that later date. Fortunately I had kept my old AFL membership cards showing me as a club support member and the key ring issued to foundation members back in 1997 and after sending them copies and extensive toing and froing eventually I convinced them to accept that I was a foundation member. Took quite an effort though.
Problem is, I have no idea what to do with any of it and just keep adding to it each year. No doubt there would be quite a bit of stuff you'd be lucky to find unless others have kept it. The only thing I thought of doing, which may look quite average, was to frame every single membership card collectively in chronological order. Next year will be the 25th membership card, so perhaps I might do it then with a 5 x 5 layout or something.