Westport Lions Club

The Westport Lions Club thanks the members, volunteers and supporters who maintain our programs. 

By Lion Bob Reddick

This upcoming weekend is Thanksgiving, a time to reflect on some the things we should be thankful for in Westport, Newboro, or North Crosby. While the list is not exhaustive, it is important to highlight some of the things for which we should be grateful.

First and foremost, we are fortunate to live in a safe and clean environment. We do not have to worry about natural disasters or other catastrophic events.

We are blessed to live in an area that has ample recreational opportunities, such as the numerous lakes, Foley Mountain Conservation Area, the Cataraqui and KP trails, the WTC arena, the facilities at Lockwood Park and Shillington Park, and the pickleball courts in Newboro. The importance of these to the mental and physical health of people was especially evident during the pandemic.

We are also grateful for the community halls in Rideau Lakes which offer a wide range of programs for all ages.

We should also express our gratitude for the cultural events in Westport, including Music Westport and the Christmas Market organized by the Westport Arts Council, as well as the activities at the Legion and the successful Westporch event organized by Trevor Connell.

We all agree with Trevor when he says, “I’m always so thankful to all the porch owners who open their properties up and host an artist at their locations.”

Thank you to the individuals who organize boat and car shows. All these events are vital to the tourism of Westport and keep the town vibrant.

We should show our appreciation to all the coaches who are dedicated to passing on their love of the game.  Westport and area have youth playing baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, figure skating, golf, hockey, karate, soccer, and tennis. A special shoutout to Scott Halladay and Anders Carson, who took a group of U18 soccer players to play in a Gothenburg soccer tournament in Sweden. These young ladies will never forget this priceless experience. 

Westport has so many active groups that enhance our quality of life. The Westport Blooms bring beauty and colour to our streets. The Quilts of Valour provides quilts to comfort our veterans. The Rideau Sewing Group helps young people stay in the hospital to be more comfortable by giving them pillowcases and quilts.  Westport Shares help people in need.  All the volunteers and supporters who work together to provide food for the Westport Food Bank. Don’t forget Friends of the Arena who have incredibly raised close to one million dollars to enhance the arena and install an elevator.

We are fortunate to have a community paper like the Review-Mirror when so many towns have lost their weekly paper.  The Review-Mirror provides the community with a vehicle to celebrate the community’s achievements and successes.  It informs the community of upcoming events and helps to keep the region abreast of local news.

We should be thankful that we have a service club like the Westport Lions that has served our community since 1946.  Without Lions and Lion volunteers, we would have no Lions’ beach, no mobile medical service, no Reuse and Recycle Centre and the eight other services and the 17 events that the Lions organize or participate in. 

Finally, we are grateful for all the volunteers, businesses, and individuals who support our local organizations. This weekend, take a minute to give thanks.