Guests applaud community service work on local Lions on 90th anniversary
by Dan McClelland
There were some special guests at an informal community meet and greet hosted by the Tupper Lake Lions Club Wednesday, July 16 in the pavilion at Little Wolf Beach.
In the photo above a delegation of Lions from the Newcomb Lions Club and their spouses came over to wish their fellow service club members well, on this the year of the club’s 90th anniversary.
The Lions Clubs of Tupper Lake and Long Lake sponsored the Newcomb Club on April 16, 1966, and with the visiting Lions that evening was a bell with an inscription on it that was given by the local Lions at the club initiation ceremony at that time. The bell, inscribed with the date of the birth of the Newcomb club, is what clubs use to ring their meetings to honor.
The Newcomb Club is known for its incredible summer chicken barbecue- its main fundraiser of the year- that feeds hundreds of Newcomb residents and visitors and raises thousands for its community service work.
Around the table from left were Lorraine Miga, Lion Wester Miga, Tupper Club President Gerry Sojda, accepting a friendship banner from Club President Anita Brundage, and between them Past President Stuart Nichols and on the right, Don and Marlene Bott.
At right, County Legislator Nedd Sparks presents a proclamation from the Franklin County Legislature honoring the club on their great community service deeds these past 90 years.
Below are some of the local Lions hamming it up for the camera. From left were Lions Denise Mullen, Tammie LaLonde, Mark LaVigne, Cindy Lewis, Kasey Kentile, Bob Lewis, Annie Eldridge, Mary and Gerry Sodja, the local club president and Stuart Nichols, who recently volunteered to be club administrative assistant to assist Secretary Amanda Amell. Lion Stuart has been the long time secretary of the club.
The informal event was a dry run for the Lions new cook shack, a two year old trailer the club recently purchased from Tyler’s Pizzeria’s previous owner, Dave Clark. The first official outing of the trailer was at Saturday’s Field Day in the park. Among those club members stewarding the shack on its maiden voyage were Lions Amanda Amell, Kara Willett, Kasey Kentile, Annie and Steve Eldridge and guest chef Nate Lewis and his aunt, Aimee Frenette. (Dan McClelland photos)
