The new Wallaceburg Lions Club is set to become official this weekend, as their charter night is being held at the UAW Hall on Saturday.
“International Director Thomas Gordon is going to present us with our charter,” Lorne Brock, president of the Wallaceburg Lions told the Sydenham Current.
“Typically the district governor makes the presentation, but Thomas Gordon is here and we are one of the few Centennial Clubs in Canada that were established in the 100th year of Lionism, so he wants to make a personal presentation to us.”
Brock said representatives from other local service clubs are set to be in attendance as well.
“We have members coming from Rotary, Knights of Pythias, Knights of Columbus also joining in to welcome us in the community. So we have got a group there,” Brock said.
Brock said the charter night makes the group official.
“This is when a Lions Club is started,” he said.
“Most of the Lions Club had charters many, many years ago. So they don’t start new clubs that often. Now Wallaceburg did have a club over 20 years ago that, for whatever reason, disbanded and joined with Chatham and Petrolia separated.”
Brock added: “Now we have a club. We have a membership large enough to have our own. So they are putting a charter in. Lions have been around 100 years and I think it’s 90 something years for the other charter for Canada. It was actually the Windsor group. So they have some groups almost 100 years in Canada and we are one of them. The newest.”
Brock said the group has already become involved in the community.
“Last April or May when we had the Colwell (Splash Pad) fundraiser, that was our first big activity then we had Wallyfest and WAMBO,” Brock said.
“We are hoping now that we are chartered that we can identify our projects and move forward and use the resources of Lions International. One of the things I would like to see is some kind of a clinic in our hospital rehabilitation, to help give it a reason for existing. Petrolia brought an eye clinic to their hospital. Maybe we can do the same. Vision, diabetes and pediatric cancer and some others are the main drivers of Lions International.”
Brock said the dinner for the charter night is sold-out.
“We will have a good turnout,” he said.
“Somewhere between 80 and 100 people are coming out, which should be good.”
Here is some of our previous coverage about the group:
– New Lions Club being proposed for Wallaceburg
– Lions BBQ provides big boost for Wallaceburg Splash Pad
