Community
12 July, 2024
Changing of the guard for Lions
CAMPERDOWN’S Lions Club will be entering the new financial year with a new board after last Thursday’s annual changeover dinner.
The club also looked back on their work for the year, thanking members for their contributions to the community.
Andy Riordan handed his presidency over to Dennis Bant on the night and is stepping into his new role as membership and club harmony board member.
Mr Bant then inducted his new board for the 2024-2025 Lions year, which includes admin officer and Lions Skin Cancer Van program leader Maree Belyea; social media manager D’Arne Paton; first vice president Isabel Riordan; Lions Eye Program leader Bill Duncanson; Inclusive Play Space program leader Colin Hayman; second vice president Judi Oakes; and Tail Twister Jan Smith.
Mr Riordan said the Lions Club have been active in the community in many ways and have accumulated many hours of service.
“Our monthly market in the avenue has been very successful even with some cold and wet Sundays over the 10 outings, as we didn’t operate on the first Sunday in January and June,” he said.
“We also conducted some 14 other catering functions for the year.
“Then, as if that was not enough just to keep our hand in, we cooked egg and bacon rolls for the staff and buyers at the saleyards every Tuesday morning and also catered for the equestrian event on the Sunday of the Camperdown show.
“Then we took our place on the roster to sell poppies (Remembrance Day – November) and Anzac tokens (April) for the Returned and Services League.”
The club also provided assistance in the form of people power to the Camperdown Turf Club for the Camperdown Cup race day as well as to the Camperdown Pastoral and Agricultural Society during the main day of the annual show.
Mr Riordan said the club also assisted in counting donations for Camperdown’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
“We conducted our usual Driver Reviver stop on the long weekend in March,” he said.
“Some more Lions assists were the parking of horse floats at the Noorat Show, clearing of rubbish for a Camperdown resident - three full trailer loads to the tip - and assisted one of our members who had a tree removed by taking it to the tip.
“At the end of daylight savings we once again changed smoke alarm batteries for the elderly in the community.
“This, over many years, has become an all-year-round project with batteries failing and the ability for people to ring us on our Lions assist phone thanks to Lion Marilyn Bourke.”
Mr Riordan said the youth programs the Lions Club runs within the Camperdown community were also successful during the 2023-2024 Lions year.
“Our annual Youth of the Year competition for senior secondary students and Peace Poster competition in the primary schools were again most successful,” he said.
“The Lions Eye Health Program, which takes in the vision screening for primary school students, was again conducted with great proficiency by our qualified screening team led by Bill Duncanson, who is also the national treasurer for this project.
“We cannot forget the wonderful progress in the planning and establishing our long-term commitment to the All Ability Play Space.
“Thanks to Lion Colin Hayman for his leadership, Lion Maree for grant applications and the whole committee for their dedication.
“Two of the original committee sadly are no longer with us, but I’m sure Michael Nixon will be keen to follow our progress, and Skylar Carpenter too, who has left the legacy of her great idea which we can now work to bring to fruition.”
Play space program leader Mr Hayman provided an update on the progress of the project, with a recent $1000 donation from the Simpson and District Lions Club assisting their fundraising efforts.
“Even though it took some time to get to where we are, one can look back over the past four months and the significant progress that has been made with the Inclusive Play Space at the current Apex Park,” he said.
“Since a meeting held with shire representatives in March where an all-inclusive carousel was seen as the preferred option, the project has gathered momentum.
“Following the agreement to move forward with an all-inclusive carousel, a detailed document was finalised on the project to be used as supporting information for grant applications.
“The club has been fortunate that, in progressing the project, we have not only had the support of the Corangamite Shire Council but also the Camperdown Chronicle, which has run a couple of articles providing valuable information to the community.”
Mr Hayman said the club was “well down the track” in their fundraising, with a donation received from Cobden and District Community Bank, a contribution from Corangamite Shire Council, and proceeds from the ongoing quilt raffle.
“There are also other grants that we have been applying for, which hopefully the club will be successful in receiving,” he said.
“Once we know the outcomes of these grants, an assessment will be made as to the next steps with the project.”
Attendees enjoyed a two-course meal thanks to the Rusty Tarts, and a raffle was held during the meal.