The new Lions Club of Cranbourne board of directors, from left, immediate past president Janet Evans, treasurer Kerrie McMahon, president Ian Gration, secretary Penelope Oorloff, Lion Tamer Andrew McMahon and Tail Twister Frank Lamattina.By Bridget Cook
THE Lions Club of Cranbourne welcomed its new board of directors to lead the club in the year ahead at its annual changeover dinner recently.
The club held its 40th annual dinner on Saturday 23 June at the Blue Hills Retirement Village, where the Cranbourne Lions Concert Band entertained guests for the night.
Janet Evans handed over the presidency to incoming president Ian Gration, who said his focus for the club in the year ahead would be growth.
“Growth in membership, growth in community awareness and growth in community service,” he said.
Penelope Oorloff was elected as the secretary for the next term, Kerrie McMahon as treasurer, Andrew McMahon as Lion Tamer and Frank Lamattina as Tail Twister.
The club reflected on the great work it has done in the community over the past year at the event.
Some of the events included conducting an Anzac Day breakfast for about 300 people at the Cranbourne RSL and hosting a Senior Citizens Christmas Party, where they were joined by both the Cranbourne Lions Concert Band and the Cranbourne Lions Choir for lunch and an afternoon of Christmas carol singing.
“We will, as this year goes along, be asking the citizens of Cranbourne to suggest some new projects and to join with us to help get them done,” Mr Gration said.
Another project they highlighted was the club’s donation of a hearing dog to Narre Warren resident Jean Herriot – who was a special guest on the night.
Ms Herriot is profoundly deaf and needed a hearing dog. The Cranbourne Lions Club presented Ms Herriot with her dog Delilah about six months ago.
Delilah has now finished her training, so the club awarded her with a collar and lead to signify she is a fully trained hearing dog.
Special guest on the night included City of Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon and First District Vice Governor David Barnes, who did a toast to Lions International.
Mr Barnes reflected on what Lions have done in this world since they started and how many people have better lives because of it.
He spoke about the Lions Sightfirst program, which has seen more than $415 million dollars raised internationally to help eradicate preventable blindness, and the Lions Measles Initiative.
“We, along with almost 1.4 million other Lions, have made a great impact in this world, and we can feel justifiably of our efforts,” he said.
