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Halton Hills This Week, Wednesday, October 13, 1993 — Page 13 Georgetown LIONS Serving with pride in a proud community Dedicated to serving The. International Association of Lions Club motto is simple, yet rich in meaning: “We Serve”. The Lions Club is the largest single service orga- nization in the world, wil more than 3,600 clubs serv- ing their respective commu- nity’s-- and in fact, world — needs in over 170 coun- tries. a This international order of community service- minded members took root in Georgetown 63 years ago, on February 6, 1931. The inaugural meeting saw 20 members recog- nized. and the proceeding were overseen by Lion Joe Sheedy, Commissioner of Lions International in Chicago. t was an auspicious occasion, heralding the start of a venture dedicated to, bettering-the community, and its residents, through service to the community. Members who accepted positions in the newly- installed Georgetown Lions ‘Club executive were pillars of the community in every sense of the word. The Honorary President B. McKenzie. President was A.H./Feller. The 2nd Vice-President was J.D. Kelly. G.W. McLintock served as Secretary-Treasurer and the Board of Directors included: H.R. Mimms, Ed McWhirter, A.W. Beaumont, D. Crichton, Lion Tamer, W. Bradley and Tail Twister, C. Burnside. The official charter night dinner and dance was held on April 24, 1931 and the new club’s first official fundraising effort involved sponsoring an amateur box- at 63 years. 1932: The Lions Club became the first Canadian service organization to pre- visually impaired and three guests attended a special dinner. 1936: It was revealed that despite the harsh economic times, the Lions Club -had rovided $1,064 © to Georgetown — Hospital, donated $338 to community causes, allocated $272 for the Lions Club-sponsored Boys Band and spent $278 on-Christmas trees and on the Santa Claus parade. The. club also laid plans for a paper drive in aid of under- privileged children. 1937: The Lions Club- sponsored Georgetown Maple Leafs midget hockey team was honored as Ontario’s Little NHL cham- pions.at a special banquet. 1945: The Georgetown Lions Clubs spearheaded a successful campaign whch raised $2,500 for the build- ing fund of the Toronto Sick Children’s Hospital. 1951: The Georgetown. Lions Club organized the Erin Lions Club, with Lion Don Barrager receiving an extension award for his excellent work. 1956: The Georgetown Lions Club celebrates its 25th anniversary in February and held a mon- ster Bingo at Memorial Arena which raised over $1,000 for the pool fund. 1958: The Georgetown Lions Club-Dick Licata Pool was officially opened to the public on June 21. Just in time for residents to beat the heat. The pool’s official opening was held on August 16. 1959: The Georgetown Lions Club, in support of the Georgetown Hospital k pale in Georgetown » Memorial Arena with festivities including a street dance and a draw for a new Chevrolet coach. On December 28, 1931, the Lions Club and local businessmen entertained over 700 children at a movie showing of Huckleberry Finn at the then, Georgetown Theatre. The Georgetown Lions Club was off — and roaring. There have been some memorable moments for both the Georgetown Lions Club and the community as a whole in the intervening ledged $25,000 to the association’s building fund: 1960: The Georgetown Lions Club sponsored the new Acton Lions Club. 1968: Christmas welfare baskets, headed by Lion Walter Gray, were distrib- uted to 44 needy area fami- lies. 1972: The first annual Lions Club sponsored Citizen of the Year dinner was held, with Peggy Treahy honored for her dedication to the communi- ty. 1983: The Georgetown Continued opposite commitment As a Lions Club mem- ber, you join.a fraternity that truly represents a cross-section of you com- munity, your country, and indded, the world. ‘Their are no barriers — artificial or otherwise — to membership and people of different races, color and creeds are welcomed. All that is required is a commitment to serving the needs of the commu- nity. In a similar vein, at a typical Lions Club meet- ing, you will encounter people from all walks of life and the varied profes- sions in the community. A retiree could be in deep conversation with a fireman; a doctor sharing his thoughts witha small business owner ; a shift worker discussing possi- ble future club projects with a lawyer or a ‘truck driver trading sports sto- ries with a police officer. As individuals they are respected for the roles they play within the com- munity. * As Lions Club mem- bers they share a com- mon bond of commit- ment to serving the com- munity Lions Club mem- bers don’t expect to be thanked’ for their good works. = The betterment of the community is what counts and that is thanks enough. Community A positive community force and is a major sponsor of the association’s Canine Vision program a program which matches a visually impaired individual with a trained seeing-eye dog. Camp Dorset, in Haliburton, is another major project of the Georgetown Lions Club and members spend work weekends at the location helping out. Camp Dorset is now a national camp which allows, those with kidney-related health problems to spend a summer vaca- tion with their families away from the con- fines of hospitals. There is a 10-unit dialysis clinic and a full medical staff of doctors and nurses is on hand throughout the camp’s months of operation from early June through September. Young people have benefited in many ways from the Lions Chibs’ projects and one group in particular — with health prob- lems — have champions at their side. Hearing impaired children, with other handicaps, such as cerebral palsy, blindness, emotional and mental disorders have been taken under the Lions Club’s collective wing — under the Ontario Mission for the Deaf — which provides group home settings for these youngsters who have been particu- larly stricken. Since the inception of the Georgetown Lions Club way back on February 6, 1931, the service-minded organization has touched almost every aspect of community life in Georgetown in a most positive way. It has sponsored the local Santa Claus parade for over 60 years; has sponsored the Citizen of the Year dinner since 1972; spon- sors an annual high school Effective Speaking program and annually sponsors minor sports teams in minor hockey, minor baseball and minor soccer. For years, the Lions club sponsored the very popular Crazy Boat race down the Credit River. i The Lions Club sets the tables for the annual Pioneer Days pancake breakfast and is a supporter of the annual Georgetown Fall Fair. While these projects raise the profile of. the club, needy individuals are also helped, far from the glare of the public spotlight. The local club similarly is there when help is needed outside the immediate area: in 1954, for example, money was raised to help the victims of Hurricane Hazel, which ravaged southern Ontario. In a similar caring vein, the club has always been a staunch supporter of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Meeting community and individual needs 63 YEARS Continued from opposite Lions Club donated $10,000 to Dialysis Camp Dorset to build and furnish an effi- ciency unit-at the camp and donated Georgetown Library for the purchase of large printed books. A project was initiat- ed to collect used eyeglasses for cleaning, grading and packaging for distribution to Third World Countries. 1984: The Georgetown Lions Club pledged $30,000 to the Bennett Health Care Centre, purchased a $1,700 slide for the Dick Licata Pool’and donated $2,500 to the Canadian Lions Foundation. 1988: The Georgetown $1,300 to. Lions Club donated $8,996 to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and $1,700 to the Downs Syndrome Association. The money was raised by the Lions Club-sponsored Crazy Boat Race. 1990: The Georgetown Lions Club donated $1,200 to the Canadian National Institute For The Blind; gave $20,000 to the Georgetown Agricultural Society towards the erection of a new exhibit building at the Fairgrounds; donated $3,000 to the Town of Halton Hills Recreation and Parks Department for the installation of lights at the baseball batting cage and [1 | would be interested in becoming a member of the Georgetown Lions Club i 1 -would like to have more information about the \ Georgetown Lions Club Mail to: Lions Club of Georgetown Inc., P.O. Box 73, Georgetown, Ontario L7G 471 Tel. (905) 873-9020 provided $500 in financial assistance (each) for two Georgetown District. High School students selected for a world tour with the Up with People organization. These are some of the highlights involving the Georgetown Lions Club’s service not only to our com- munity but.also to people throughout Ontario, Canada and the world. The motto “We Serve” represents more than and empty promise or oath to members of the Georgetown Lions Club. It represents an ongoing dedication to people and causes in their times of need.