THE Gawler Lions Club has held its handover dinner, re-electing president Libby March for an- other term.
Held in the loft of the Gawler Arms Hotel last month, it drew 38 guests, including members of Angaston and Barossa Lions Clubs.
Also attending was district governor John Barnes and Lion Carol Barnes as well as zone chairman John Reed and wife, Lion Joan.
Mr Barnes officiated the ceremony re-electing Mrs March as president, David Schwartz as secretary and Nick Brown as treasurer, with remaining members making up the board.
The dinner also provided an opportunity for the club to reflect over the past year. Its projects have included holding the regular Sunday Lions Markets at the Gawler Railway Station, which over the past 12 months have raised more than $15,000, undertaking the railway station’s garden maintenance, and selling Lions Christmas cakes and puddings within local businesses to raise more than $5000.
Members supplied and packed Christmas hampers to be distributed through Gawler Community House, with a combined value of around $2900, as well as put up a Christmas tree in Gawler Heritage Café as a collection point for gifts for the underprivileged.
Around $1000 was raised through raffles, mint sales and the collection of reading glasses and used hearing aids. A further $1000 was raised from catering.
Over the 2021-22 Lions year, the club has made donations with a total value of around $21,250. This included gym equipment worth almost $1950 donated to the Gawler Health Service for use by patients at Gawler, Angaston and Tanunda hospitals; $1000 to Guitars for Vets Australia; $1000 to the Heart Foundation; $1000 to the Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation; and $2650 for the Australian Lions Foundation NSW and Qld flood relief.
During the past 12 months, the Gawler Lions Club has lost five members, who were all very well-liked and respected: Barry Hill, Gary Hoppo, Jim Downer, Ross Chatfield and John Chiller.
Looking ahead, the club will dedicate a plaque, to be placed in the Gawler Railway Station garden, during its Sunday market on July 31. The plaque, sponsored by Railcare, will commemorate 75 years of Lions in Australia.
The first club chartered was in Lismore, NSW, in 1947, with the Gawler Lions chartered some 20 years later in November, 1967.
Meanwhile, new stallholders wanting to attend the market can contact Dean on 0437 675 653.