To say that 2024/25 has been a topsy-turvy year, would be a huge understatement. The year started with a new President, PDG Tony Pederick OAM, taking over from Ray. He led the club through ill-health until his passing and then in an emotional club meeting here at the Royal Coach, I was voted in to see out the rest of the year. With this, more members stood up to share the load in fulfilling new roles and supporting each other to ensure that service projects and BBQ events still went ahead when challenges present themselves. This was testimony to the resilience of our club.
A new executive team was formed this year, and we discussed several goals that the club could try to achieve. And while there was a range, certainly not all of them could be achieved but there was one idea that was constantly thrown about … you, the club members and your contribution to the club. So, while I still wanted our service projects to thrive, fundraising to fill our accounts and build on the number of members, it was most important that our members are comfortable, satisfied and are getting out of being a member that they’d hoped for with their level of contribution towards the club.
So, I hope that goal has been met by everyone in this room feeling that you have genuinely contributed to the success of this year and this club.
For those that know me well and have heard me speak to various people in this club, to members of other clubs, on District Cabinet, to other members of other Districts in Australia, will know that I’m passionate about service, service projects and the impact we have as an organisation. Allow me to share with you, the impact we have had in just the last 12 months:
- Xmas Spirit (coordinated by Amy) – 300 people approx. benefit from our decorated Xmas slices and toys bought from funds raised
- SAPOL Citizen of the year (coordinated by Ray) – a young man recognised for his heroics to assist police
- Recycle for Sight (coordinated by Lyn) – 1,494 glasses collected, sorted and sent to Queensland
- Children of Courage (coordinated by Petrea) – 9 children recognised for their resilience in the face of their personal challenges
- Fred’s van (coordinated by Sylvia) – 990 people over 11 occasions facing hunger
- Hutt St Centre breakfast (coordinated by Warren and then Steph) – 350 people approx. also facing hunger and homelessness
- Hear Me Roar (coordinated by Petrea) – 292 heart cushions, 262 port pillows, 50 baby blankets and sensory toys, 1024 book bags delivered with 100’s more ready to go
- Our 2 Leos at Pedare Christian College Leo Club continue to create projects to benefit organisations such as Kozy Kids
- Cubs Club creating dog toys for Hearing Dogs and key chain for World Teacher Appreciation Day
- Hundreds of blankets and bed linen have been distributed to shelters and organisations to support the homeless.
Total of people impacted directly from our service projects alone this year was well over 5,000
That’s a pretty impressive number!! Do we aim for more this year (shrug shoulders)? Do we aim for 6,000 or 7,000?
Not only do our projects impact people in need but also their families, medical support staff and the staff that work for the various organisations. They, too, see our projects, they see the impact we have, and the difference made. And this makes me reflect on why, sometimes, we do what we do. Some people come into Lions ready to change the world but what if we simplify that and think about changing the world for one person … and then a second … and then a third … and so on. How many worlds can we change through what we do? The limit is up to us.
Our projects cannot be run without vital funds. Our fundraising team, through BBQ’s, cakes and puddings and mints, as well as receiving donations, worked really hard this year. For 2024/25, we raised over $56,000. Well done!!!!!
Through club discussions and member voting, we decided on donating funds to various organisations:
- Hutt St Centre
- The Taboo Project
- Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation
- Australian Lions Foundation – disaster relief
- Lions Assistance Dogs
- Diabetes SA
- Trees for Life
- SAHMRI scholarship
- Story dogs x 2
- CaringKids
- RSPCA Million Paws Walk
Total amount in donations = $18, 620
I know I’ve already mentioned members and their contributions, but I need to highlight this some more. In a regular lion’s year, our club members are extremely active and engaged. Not only do we have our meetings (social, business and executive), service projects & BBQ events, members were also involved with District and other club handover dinners, we have members selling cakes and puddings and mints, attended the District Convention in Cowell, the ANZI forum and tree planting as well as social evenings at Government House (Amy, Marilyn and Carla), promoting our club at an expo, behind the scenes with buying food for BBQs and working bees, maintenance on the ute and trailer, entering data into the Lions portal and promotion of our club via social media. The number of hours put in is staggering! I’m really proud to say that more members are stepping up into new positions such Craig as a VP and coordinating Blankets for the Homeless as well as Beatrice taking on cakes and puddings, Nikki taking on Treasurer, and Edward taking on coordinating our BBQs. To know that our club members want to work with each other and for each other, back each other up when someone falls and wear this emblem with pride is what really inspires me.
So, I finish my report here by thanking you. I thank every member for your contribution to our club. I thank the partners of our members for supporting those members to do what they do. I thank those ‘friends of lions’ who help our cause without being members … yet. I thank our guests here from other clubs supporting the projects that we do. I thank those who do all those things ‘behind-the-scenes’ that don’t get seen. I thank you all for the hours that you give and the heart and effort you show to make this club great and to make this club seen in our community. It’s truly appreciated. Thank you!
