Our 2019/20 Lions year started off very busy as usual but who would have predicted that we’d be doing so very little in the second half of the year or the reason for it. Regardless of this, we have achieved so much together as a club over the past year. In total, we have had at least one (1) member attend or participate in 114 events of some description – ranging from meetings, award ceremonies, working bees, cubs club, visiting or helping with other club’s events, and of course the odd BBQ or two.
Our club is made up of an amazing group of individuals who come together and work for a common goal. Thank you to each one of you, not just our lion members, but partners and families, and our friends from other clubs. A special thank you to our friends at Prospect Blair Athol and Paralowie Lions Clubs, and of course our friends at Adelaide Hellenic who always go above and beyond to support us and our projects. John and Evelyn, you and your members are simply legends, thank you for your ongoing support. Once again, together, we have made a real impact in the community this year.
To say the past few months haven’t been easy, is an understatement. We’ve seen businesses close, many of which won’t be reopening, many of us were in isolation at home, and we’ve seen family members, friends and fellow lions who have lost their jobs. It also saw our multiple district convention that was due to be held here in Adelaide in May cancelled, and a number of us here tonight would have only returned last week from the international convention in Singapore, but of course that was also cancelled. And non-covid related, we’ve seen members unwell, moving interstate, and dealing with personal issues. Despite all this, we’ve managed to stay connected and in contact in one way or another. Some of us have also become Zoom experts with online meetings, even featuring a couple of guest speaker presentations. It’s important to remember that we aren’t just here to support the community and people in need, we are here to support each other too.
When asked what my highlights have been over the past year, it’s a really tough question to answer. Where do I start? We’ve inducted new members, and said goodbye to others, we’ve donated 163 blankets, fed the homeless and hungry, we have brought smiles and comfort to 1,400 patients in hospital, donated 4,068 books to 1,017 children in support of youth literacy, continued to develop our Cubs Club program to the point that other districts and Lions Clubs International are interested in implementing our program, collected and donated 1,674 spectacles, collected countless books, plastic lids, bread tags and hearing aids, we awarded the Lions and SAPOL Citizen of the Year Award, the Lions Get Active Program was launched, we honoured 28 very special children at Government House with the Lions Children of Courage Awards, sponsored 3 teachers to attend the Lions Quest program, sponsored a ALHD foster puppy with our Cubs Club, Spud, in the last couple of weeks we’ve been contacted by Lions International’s marketing team to be featured in an online article about our use of technology, and we’ve been asked for permission to use snippets from Andrew’s Lions Get Active videos to be featured in a lions promotional video, we are getting noticed, we have also donated over $17,000 to various charities and causes, and cooked many many barbecues with only the occasional burnt sausage. I can’t choose just one, and I may have missed something too, but together we have achieved so much.
It has been a pleasure and honour to hold the position of club president this past year. Thank you again for your support, sharing your advice and ideas, the laughs, encouragement, your time and your efforts. I look forward to another bright and eventful year ahead with our club. Thank you.
Petrea Stacey
Club President
