The Young Lions Club farewelled an outgoing president, welcomed in a new one and applauded the presentation of four major community awards at their recent changeover dinner.
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David Tame has stepped down as president, making way for new president Ron Hampton.
And every year the club presents special awards to club members, with this year’s Lions Citizen of the Year going to Gail Butt.
Mrs Butt has been recognised for her involvement in various voluntary roles including Apex for 25 years, Riding for the Disabled, the Red Cross for 22 years, Young Show Society for over 30 years and the Rural Fire Service, giving 40 years of service as catering and permit officer and recently earning herself the nickname Mother Duck from NSW premier Barry O’Farrell at Bookham fire.
Stuart Maxwell accepted the Lions Community Service Award on behalf of the Young Harness Racing Club.
This award recognised the relationship between the Young Lions and the harness racing club.
That, according to outgoing president David Tame, arose from a chance conversation in the main street between Lion Carmel and Lenny Somerfield.
Armed with a yellow barbecue the club started out serving sausage and steak sandwiches to a hungry trots crowd from under the old grandstand at the showground.
Today they operate from a new purpose-built trailer with built-in coolroom and have increased their range of products to include chips, hot dogs and kebabs.
According to Mr Tame the initiative had not been without its challenges, “our trailer, hot water urn, bain-marie and chip cooker have taxed the poor trots power system to the max, shutting down the TAB at one stage during the Carnival of Cups,” he said at the dinner.
And then there was the time, he said, where the club members were almost washed away when the skies dumped nearly a month’s worth if rain in one afternoon.
“Though all these difficult times the trotting club have supported us and provided upgrades to facilities to help us out,” she said.
“I’d like to see our partnership with the trotting club continue to grow in the years ahead. It has been beneficial to the trotting club and I hope to the trotting club as well,” he said.
Former Lions president and secretary Helen Sell was awarded the James D Richardson Award for her, “ceaseless contribution to the community and untiring support for the club”.
According to Mr Tame, Helen keeps track of everything the club is doing and also maintains the logistics for all Lions Club events, “especially our barbecue commitment to the trotting club”.
“Helen takes on anything that needs doing within the club with gusto and never seeks any recognition for her efforts,” Mr Tame said.
“She is always looking for an opportunity to put the Lions Club up front in any community event that happens along and has the ear of prominent people to help that along”.
“An example of this was when the charity bike race raising funds for muscular dystrophy was wending its way through NSW and stopped off in Young on its way through to Bathurst.”
“Helen made sure the Lions were out in force to welcome them into town and made sure they accepted our Lions donation cheque.”
A well timed welcome it seems, as Mr Tame said the cyclists got caught in a massive storm which almost threatened to take out the rest of the club members at a trots event.
“Bull sales, dog shows, the Relay for Life, Black Dog and Debutante of the Year and so the list goes on,” Mr Tame said, “we now struggle to find dates in our calendar just to hold a social barbecue for our own benefit, but we do and Helen will always be there leading the catering.”
“As president I’m still trying to extract all the myriad details that must be buzzing around her head for all these events and getting them down on paper for the benefit of those that follow on, but I can’t see Helen disappearing from the Lion fold anytime soon as we still have a chance to capture it all,” he said, adding, “this is a marvellous achievement and Helen well deserves the reward. Thanks again Helen for providing such a magnificent contribution to the club and to the town of Young.”
Doug Foreman gratefully accepted the Mints King Award.
This award recognises the contribution Mr Foreman made behind behind the scenes in supplying Lions Mints to business outlets around Young and also collecting the funds raised from the sales of the mints to their customers.
This award was given many years ago to recognise the effort made by the Lions Club but was never presented to a member.
In recognition of the many years spent by Lion Doug in carrying out these duties, President David felt he was a well deserved recipient.
