From the left, Westport Lion Rick Warriner, Lion Brian Hawthorn from the Burlington Lions Club, Westport Lions Gary Warriner and Bill Garland visit the Fort Walton Lions Club in Florida.
Westport Lions Roar
By Lion Bill Garland
Most Westport Lions members spend the winter months working on programs that support our local community. This winter four of our members have escaped the cold of winter as snowbirds in Destin, Florida. Lions Rick Warriner, Gary Warriner, Bruce Maynard, and Bill Garland are spending some of the winter in this pretty beach community in the Panhandle of Florida.
Lion Rick Warriner and his wife Penny visited former Westport Lion Bill Slaigle and his wife Lynn in Lakeland, Florida enroute to Destin. Lion Bill is an American who summered in Westport for many years and was a very active Westport Lions member. Lion Bill Chaired the Westport Lions Bingo’s for many years. Lion Rick reported that the Slaigles are doing well and plan to visit Westport this summer.
On Tuesday February 13th, Lions Rick Warriner, Gary Warriner and Bill Garland along with Burlington Lions Club member Brian Hawthorn attended the joint Lions meeting of the Fort Walton Lions Clubs and the Fort Walton Sonic Lions Club, as guests, at the Fort Walton Community Centre. Two Lions from the Richmond Kentucky Lions Club also attended the meeting. Fort Walton is a military town next door to Destin. There are two military bases in Fort Walton, Eglin Airforce Base and Hurlburt Field Base. Elgin Airforce Base is described as the largest military base in the world.
During the meeting the Canadian visitors were asked to inform the Fort Walton Clubs about our Clubs activities. Lion Rick Warriner described the activities of our Westport Club and Lion Brian Hawthorn talked about the Burlington Club. The local Lions reacted in awe at the scope of our activities in support of our communities. They were very surprised to learn that 3 Melvin Jones Fellowship Award recipients, highest form of recognition in Lionism, were visiting them. They were clearly shocked to hear the breadth of service these Ontario Clubs do for their communities. Our group of Ontario Lions enjoyed connecting with our Lions cousins in Florida.
Westport Lions Club 