Carol Theelen (centre) representing St. Edward’s School was just as happy to receive a cheque as Lions David Lowery (left) and Dan Lewis were in giving it.
Westport Lions Roar
By Lion Bob Reddick
Upon entering the Lion Den for our February 14 general meeting, the first thing that caught everyone’s attention was the beautiful and festive environment. The entrance was adorned with strings of little hearts hanging from the door frame, and three-dimensional hearts were suspended from the ceiling and decorated the walls. Tables were covered with red, pink, and white tablecloths and heart shaped napkins completed the décor. Lion Kris Henderson Klatt did an excellent job of transforming the hall for Valentine’s Day and the members showed their appreciation by giving her a heartfelt round of applause.
During our meetings, Lion Michael Harris usually starts the business portion with a little humor to lighten the mood. On this evening, President Dorothy Maynard and Secretary Jim McGlade played a game to determine the membership’s most popular choices for their favorite type of restaurant, cheese, pasta, and meat. Dorothy and Jim had to guess the most popular choices among the members. In the end, Lion Dorothy’s correct predictions of Chinese restaurants and beef secured her win over Jim.
The club passed a motion to donate funds to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). CNIB Lake Joe has been providing enriching camp experiences for Canadians with sight loss of all ages for over 60 years. This accessible camp is situated in Muskoka, Ontario, and spans over 12.5 acres on the northwest corner of beautiful Lake Joseph. The camp is known for encouraging children to shine, empowering youth to thrive, and offering recreational pursuits to kids of all ages. Lion Clubs regularly fund Lake Joe, but CNIB has requested additional funds to purchase new buses for transporting young people. As the camp’s request is time-sensitive, the Westport Lions have decided to donate funds immediately instead of waiting for the spring disbursements in April.
Lion Kris Henderson Klatt presented a new fundraising idea of selling chocolate Easter bunnies. Kris’s proposal was well received and was given the green light to order the bunnies. There will be more information once the club receives the chocolate treats.
Lion Julian Bahmann proposed forming a coffee club for Lions to meet informally every Tuesday at a local restaurant. This gathering would give Lions a chance to meet socially on a regular basis.
Several updates were given to the membership. Lion Michael Harris briefed the club on swimming lessons at the beach. Lion Dave Blair informed members on the status of the club’s tractor. Lion Craig Jackson was thanked for installing a new clubhouse door.
Lion Peter Minnelli volunteered to co-chair the Canada Day events at the Lions’ beach with Lion Marty Hawkins.
Lion Bob Reddick gave an overview of the Westport Lions website, Facebook page and new membership page that he and Lion Peter Minnelli have been working on. A special thanks to Trevor Connell from Trevor Connell Photography for his guidance on the technical aspects of establishing the membership page. On the Westport Lions’ website (westportlions.ca) you will find information About the Club, Calendar Winners, Events Calendar, How to Contact the Club, and links to the Lions’ Recycle and Reuse Centre and the club’s Facebook page. On the sidebar to the right, there is information on How to Become a Member, Recycling, Medical Mobility Service and Applications for Funding Requests.
The meeting closed with a summary of future events for club members. They include a zone meeting in Elgin on March 3, vision screening at Centre 76 in Athens on March 12, and a tour of Tacks Toys in Athens on April 27.
Westport Lions Club 