Three Lions Club dignitaries visit Tupper club
Dan McClelland
About two dozen members of the Tupper Lake Lions Club entertained special guests on April 18 when the current district governor, the last district governor and the next district governor came to town. The meeting was held at Allison Hollingsworth spacious staff room above Hollingsworth Construction on High Street. Flanking Lions Club President Stuart Nichols were at right DG Priscilla Laurin of Chazy and her husband, Rickey, was district governor last year and at immediate left, Holly McConcie of Galway, incoming district governor and Margot Warlrath, another Lion from the Galway club who accompanied her that evening.
An amazing prime rib supper with all the fixin’s was prepared by the club’s culinary pros- Lions Kurt and Mark Garrelts, Paul LaMere and Rick Skiff. Carrott cake fresh from the oven of Lion Cindy Lewis crowned off a meal fit for Lions. Club members raved about the main course and the dessert.
In her address to the local Lions DG Laurin encouraged the club to donate to the Lions Club International Foundation, which performs major acts of disaster relief around the world. Through LCIF local clubs can apply for generous matching grants to help fund local civic projects and she encouraged the hometown club to apply.
Last year the club embraced the Tupper Lake Varsity Hockey Team and purchased new special team uniforms as well as publicly feting the successful team and its top players.
DG Laurin said those expenditures would have been great candidates for LCIF grants.
Donations of $250 a year for four years qualifies the club for a Melvin Jones Award to recognize outstanding Lions and community members.
She applauded the club for its recent boost in membership, noting the club has grown by over ten members since last year. Such growth makes the local club eligible for an award from Lions International, she announced.
DG Laurin also encouraged Lions to bring their children and grandchildren along with them as they work on community civic projects. She said it instills in them community pride early in their lives by working on projects that help this community. Those young folks, learning the ways of Lionism early, make them excellent candidates for Lions membership when they become adults.
She also urged the local Lions to consider starting a teenage Leo Club here.