Category: District A5 News

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Kirkland Lake Lions Start Compassionate Meal Service

In July 2024, the KL Lions Club kicked off there year with a new to their community Compassionate Meal Service.
Every third Saturday of the month, the KL club hosts a free and nutritious take out meal for those in need.
Our Compassionate Meal Service co-ordinator, Lion Shanea Smith states, “As we work closely with our KL Food Bank & Salvation Army, our club recognized a need in our community for food assistance, to help people make it to the next pay or stretch their income until the end of the month. This is a small gesture to assist those in need with a nutritious meal. Our residents have been very supportive in sponsoring meals for our initiative, and for that, we are grateful”

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A5 Celebrating Milestones

Sault Ste. Marie Lions President Deb Kid presented Lion Don Cameron with his 40 year chevron.

Zone Chair 47E Lion Brenda McLay Lalonde presented at 45 year chevron to PDG Lion Ellen Fletcher, from Noelville French River Lions.

ZC Lion Brenda gave a presidential pin to Lion Leanne Furchner of Minnow Lake Lions in gratitude for all the advice and support she has given to the ZC over the past several years.

Another great story from Garson is the presentation of the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award to a very deserving member, Lion Alde Bedard.  Although he has not been a member for decades, he is one of the most active and dedicated members of the Garson Lions.  Whatever you need, Lion Alde is there.  Congratulations to a wonderful Lion.

Pictured: Lion President Jack Baillargeon and Lion Alde

Wow, has it been that long since Lion Mark Andrews joined the Lions.  The year is 1973.  George Foreman defeats Joe Frazier to win the heavyweight world championship, London Bridge was officially opened, Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of the Moon” was released, Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Briggs in the battle of the sexes tennis match, Bruce Lee dies and Lion Mark Andrews became a Lion.  Congratulations on 50 years of serving your community.  We all love you.

Pictured: Lion President Jack Baillargeon, Lion Mark and Zone Chair 47E Lion Brenda Lalonde

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A5 at MDA 2024 Convention

It has been a few years that District A5 has been working to get more of our Lions to attend an MDA convention.  Normally, there would only have been 4 members, the incoming and outgoing DG’s and spouses.  In the last couple of years, we have been slowly increasing our numbers up to 7, 9 and this year there were 20 of us that attended.

In addition to attending meetings and seminars, this year was special in that MDA had 3 candidates running for International Director for Canada, PDG Lion Debbie Dawson, PDG Lion Dan Sibana and PDG Lion Len Day.  The joint hospitality room was a great hit with everyone and the variety of food as well as drinks was thoroughly enjoyed.  On  Saturday night, we were also invaded by some strange beings that came into the hospitality room and gave everyone a great laugh.

It was great to meet the incoming International President Fabricio Oliveira and his lovely wife Amariles, and to get a chance to talk to them through their interpreter.  Lion Brenda McLay was able to speak to the President briefly and gave him a gift of a stuffed guide dog puppy along with pamphlets from the Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dogs.  He was greatly impressed with all of the different types of dogs that are trained and said that “He had never seen anything like this before.”

One of the highlights of the weekend was when the DGE’s were introduced, including our own DGE Lion Sam Khoury.

Next year, we hope to have even more of our Lions attend the MDA convention as word of the fun time spread.

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Bonfield Lions & Canada Day Celebrations

The Lions always support their community and the Bonfield Canada Day was no exception.  On the Canada Day weekend, the Bonfield Lions set put their tent to sell “Duckies” as a fundraiser.  This is an annual fundraiser and a lot of fun for the community as a whole.  In addition, the club takes care of all the maintenance and repairs and tours of the train and “Zero Mile” display in the park.

The township had a free BBQ and cake to celebrate the day, as well as vendors, a bike rodeo for the kids and other fun activities.  The Bonfield firemen were there in force with their display and to give mouth to mouth for anyone who felt faint.    We had a few ladies that wouldn’t have minded.  lol

In the afternoon, the big event of the day got ready to go ahead, the Duck Race.  500 yellow duck of all styles were sorted and loaded into the wagon and taken to the bridge at the head of the river.  They were loaded onto a tarp and with the help of our friendly firemen, they were dumped into the river and the race was on.

At the assigned location, the Lions and volunteers were ready to catch the first 3 ducks as the winners.  This included a spotter to make sure the first three were picked out by the Lions in the river.  The winning numbers of 364, 499 and 500 came in and prizes were awarded of $250.00, $150.00 and $100.00.  All of the proceeds of the duck race went to a hockey team from Corbeil, Astorville and Bonfield, which is part of the Bonfield Lions area.

It was this reporter’s first time seeing a duck race in person it was a lot of fun.  Boy can those ducks swim fast.  You have to be on the ball to grab the first three across the finish line.  The only thing left after that was to catch the rest of the ducks and put them away again for the next time they were needed.  It took some convincing to get some of the kids to not take their ducks home with them as they would be needed again next year.  Great time and race.

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Several of the clubs in the A5 District presented awards to celebrate their Lions and the great job that they do for the clubs and their communities.  Thank you to all of the recipients for their dedicated service and ongoing support of the values of Lionism.

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1st photo- Walden Lions-Lion Betty Walton, Lion Brian Walton- Melvin Jones recipient, President Lion Don Raymond.  Lion Brian is the only chartered member left in the club

 

2nd photo- Bonfield Lions- Melvin Jones recipients Lion Chris Snook, Lion Holly Menard, A5 Hearing Chair Lion Margo Oleskiw

3rd to 5th photos- Charlton Englehart Lions- President Lion Brian Jolkowski presenting Lion Ralph Ellerton with Lion of the Year, Lion Rhonda McCallum with the Judge Brian Stevenson Award and IPDG Lion Bob Beaven with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award

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Lions Club of Sudbury Induct Two New Members

More inductions in District A5, but this time at the Lions Club of Sudbury.  Two new members were inducted at two separate ceremonies held at the Gerry Albert Lions Room.  District Governor Lion David Kidd was on hand for the induction of now Lion Joyce with Zone Chair Lion Rachel Southwell and President Lion Ron Lundgren.  The other induction was for now Lion Ajmerray Hossain with sponsor Frank Arnold on left and Lion Steve Brazeau on right.  Welcome to these new Lions.

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Minnow Lake Lions Man Water Station

Sudbury Rocks is a fundraising walk or run held in Sudbury each year since 2005.  This is the only race in Northern  Ontario that is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.  This year, over 1600 registrants and 300 volunteers were present at the race to raise over $100,000.00 for the selected charity of Northern Cancer Foundation.  Amongst these volunteers, the Minnow Lake Lions manned a water station for the passing runners.

The Lions have been manning a water station for many years and come rain or shine, they are their to support the community and the charities involved.  Per Lion Keith Argent, “We had a great day for staffing the water station today, it was cloudy but by race time  it was getting sunny and warm.”  The Lions had 12  extraordinary Lions and friends helping this year.  Everyone had a great time and look forward to next year.

Pictured: back row- Heather Lashuk, Lions Rick & Janice Lashuk, Lion Sue Lacoste, Lions Shirley Ogilvy, Richard Charette & Anne Violette

Front row- Amanda Lashuk, Ryan Hickey, Lion Charline Sabourin, Lisa Charette, Lion Keith Argent behind the camera.

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New Liskeard Lions Club Recognizes Community Sponsor

Lions not only like to receive recognition for all of the great things that they do, they also like to recognize their community partners.  The New Liskeard Lions recently recognized Mike Reynolds for his years of support of the Lions Kitchen fundraiser.  New Liskeard Lions Club operated a kitchen in Sutton Bay trailer Park during country fest each year. This kitchen was one of the biggest fundraisers for many yeara up to 2023.  Thank you to all of your years of support for the New Liskeard Lions.

From left New Liskeard lions president Manju Dangalle, Mike Reynolds, Lion Ron Sutton, and Lion Alf O’Reilly.

Back row from left Lion David Lowe, Lion Bill Brookfield and Lion Patrick Smits.

 

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CAPREOL LIONS CELEBRATE 60 YEARS OF LIONISM

Each year, the Capreol Lions have one of their largest fundraisers. This includes a garage sale, plant sale and selling tickets on their annual duck race. However, this year was special for the Lions. The Capreol Lions celebrate 60 years of their club in 2024. But instead of having a fancy dinner for themselves, they held a free BBQ for the community to thank them for all of their support over the years. Hundreds of hamburgers and sausages were given out to anyone who came out support the Lions and to shop for some bargains. After all, the Capreol Lions believe in giving back to their community and what better way than celebrating their 60th with all of the community. Here’s looking forward to the next 60 years of fun and Lionism.
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District A5 Backs District Governor Lion David Kidd’s 2023-20224 Project

This 2023-2024 year, our District Governor’s project was to raise money for Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC).  Each year, the District Governor chooses a project that they ask the clubs in the district to contribute to.  The NOFCC began in 1998 after several bereaved families in the Sudbury area started the group to help others like them that had to deal with the many issues in having a child out of town for treatment and still trying to maintain home, work and other family members.  The NOFCC provides financial assistance as well as providing emotional support to these families of children with cancer.

In 2000, the NOFCC began fundraising activities to provide financial assistance to families as well as providing them with emotional support. Although this started as a Sudbury and area program, it has expanded their support to assist families throughout Northern Ontario.  Even though it is hard to raise money for such a large area, past President Lorraine Chartier, would remind the group that “it would be too difficult for smaller communities to raise money due to their size.  She would also remind them that families living in Northern Ontario had to deal with challenges that families living in Southern Ontario didn’t have and that northerners had to stick together as one community”.  This group receives no government or hospital support and relies solely on fundraising and donations.

District Governor (DG) David Kidd, is a member of Lions Club of Sault Ste. Marie.  This past year, he asked the 52 clubs and 1100 members in District A-5, from White River to Moosonee and Mattawa to Trout Creek, to please help him with his project.  Normally the DG’s project will raise about $20,000.00.  However this year, the project took on a life of it’s own.  How many of us have not been touched by cancer and how many of those were children.  This fueled the Lions to raise a whopping $53,000.00 plus, the largest DG project in A5’s history. (since the date of the presentation, more funds have been added)

As said by DG David Kidd, “Wow. Awesome, Talk about reaching out. You couldn’t ask for more.  It’s helping everybody, It’s not just your city.”   Thank you to DG Lion David Kidd for bringing this our District and raising more awareness for the group and Lions.  Great Work A5.

Pictures: representatives from NOFCC, A5 Childhood Cancer chair Lion Jeanne Lachance, DG Lion David Kidd