From the left: Lions Wayne Bent, Dorothy Maynard, winner Marsha Thake, Marty Hawkins and Bill Garland.
Westport Lions Roar
By Lion Bill Garland
| On a breezy Saturday afternoon, the Westport Lions Club held its highly anticipated $10,000 Draw at the Westport Lions Beach. The event, which took place on Saturday September 2nd at 2 PM, was a resounding success, attracting not only Lions Club members but also a community audience eager to witness the proceedings and hoping their ticket was the winner. The Westport Lions Club, known for its unwavering commitment to supporting |
| community organizations, seniors, youth, and educational groups, celebrated yet another successful year of fundraising with its annual $10,000 draw. In 2023, the Westport community once again rallied behind this vital fundraiser, showing overwhelming support by purchasing every available ticket. The draw was conducted by a group of dedicated Lions Club members who ensured that the event was executed flawlessly. Local resident Bob Mulville was this year’s scrutineer. Lion Marty Hawkins was the MC for the event with his commentary creating an atmosphere of anticipation for each batch of numbers being drawn. To help celebrate the event, the Westport Lions Club generously provided a delicious barbecue lunch of hamburgers, hotdogs and brats for all attendees. The aromas from the BBQ filled the air as attendees enjoyed their meals and mingled with fellow community members. This event at the Lions Beach showcased the Westport Lions Club’s commitment to serving the community as families played on the Lions Beach and swam in the waters of Sand Lake at no cost to their families. The $10,000 draw has been a cornerstone event of the Westport Lions fundraising for over 40 years and serves as a testament to the positive community support the Club receives as it sells out every year. |
| In addition to the grand prize, there are prizes awarded for predetermined tickets drawn. This year’s non grand prize winners are as follows: |
- 1st ticket drawn: Greg and Krista Scorsone $100
- 100th ticket drawn: Michelle Cloutier $100
- 175th ticket drawn: Eleanor Bresee $100
- 4th last ticket drawn: Sawdust $100
- 3rd last ticket drawn: Elise Chikwehwa $100
| An interesting component for this Draw is the option for ticket purchasers to declare whether they’d like to split the $10,000 prize if their ticket is one of the last two in the drum. For this splitting option to be allowed both tickets in the drum must have the Final 2 – Split box marked Yes. This results in the final 2 tickets in the drum splitting the $ 10,000 grand prize, with each ticket winning $5,000. This years Draw delivered a thrilling surprise. Both of the final 2 tickets in the drum were marked No Split, declaring there wish to compete for the entire $10,000 prize. This added an extra layer of excitement, leaving everyone on the edge of their seats. |
| The 249th ticket drawn was purchased by Lisa Lane and was eliminated from the Grand Prize competition. Lisa was awarded a $100 prize as the 2nd last ticket drawn. The final ticket in the drum and the $ 10,000 Grand Prize winner was purchased by Marsha Dawn Thake of Brockville. Marsha was born and raised in Westport, the daughter of Orville Thake, owner of Thake Monuments where Soho’s and the Review Mirror now stands on Bedford Street. Marsha’s brother Brian is a former Westport Lions member and still lives in Westport. Marsha was a very happy lady when a group of Lions members presented her with her prize at Lion Marty Hawkins house on Sunday the 3rd. The Westport Lions Club commends the community for its continued support, which allows the club to make a significant impact on the lives of many. The annual $10,000 draw serves as a testament to the strong bond between the Westport Lions Club and the Westport community, and it reaffirms their shared commitment to making a positive difference. |
Westport Lions Club 