The Gordon’s Bay Lions Club recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and hosted a successful open evening of fun and fellowship.
When Lions Clubs International was founded in Chicago in 1917 by the young American, Melvin Jones, the purpose of the association was to reach beyond business issues and to address the betterment of the communities and the world.
Lionism was introduced to South Africa mainly by Dr. Louis Volks (1909 – 1992). Born in the Paarl Valley and grown up in the Western Cape, Dr Volks believed that people should become involved in organisations to serve.
Together with other leading citizens he formed the Lions Club of Cape Town Mother Club that was chartered in 1957. He was honoured with the creation of the Louis Volks Humanitarian Award.
The Gordon’s Bay Lions Club was chartered on February 2, 1987 by a group of 22 people with the intention to empower volunteers to serve their communities. Charter President David R Baxter attended the anniversary celebration as well as charter member Danie Miller, who was the Mayor of Gordon’s Bay in 1987.
Club president Grant Jonathan welcomed fellow members and guests. The current number of members is mainly the same as in 1987, but today the age of the members ranges between 20 and 88 years, resulting in the club’s projects have an incredibly wide variety.
Project chairperson Paula Lang then presented an overview of the various club projects. The youngest member Monqique Snyders is responsible for the club’s skills development project in Temperance Town, where the youth of the community are taught creative and life skills, senior members join shifts at the Somerset West charity shop Bargain Box, a joint venture of five Helderberg Lions and Rotary clubs.
Members are involved in bigger and smaller projects ranging from the old age homes Sencit and Huis Silverjare, the Temperance Town and Gordon’s Bay primary pchools, Immanuels Haven, the Aanhouwen care centre, CANSA, the Sir Lowry’s Pass day care centre Mila’s Angels, Gordon’s Bay Animal Welfare, the Western Cape Down Syndrome Association, the yearly Gordon’s Bay Winter Wonderland Festival of Lights and many more.
Later on Mr Jonathan honoured Lion Jeanette Kruger with the Dr Louis Volks Humanitarian Award for her outstanding commitment to the Temperance Town Primary School library. The award recognises dedicated and distinguished community service which exemplifies the ideals of the Association of Lions Clubs International.
Lion Rudi Andrist handed over a donation of R10 800 which will go towards the club’s sport projects for youth.
The official part of the evening ended with a 15 minute wine auction conducted by Lions Pieta Marè and Annette van Heerden as a fundraiser for the club’s projects with a result of R1 740.
The year 2017 is the anniversary of the founding of Gordon’s Bay Lions Club, the 60th anniversary of Lions clubs in South Africa, and the centenary year of Lions Clubs International.
Call 081 341 0980, send an email to info@gordonsbaylions.co.za or go to www.facebook.com/GordonsBayLionsClub, www.gordonsbaylions.co.za or http://lions100.lionsclubs.org/EN/ for more information.
