Barry Pade has been an Nambucca Heads Lion for 50 years, which is quite an innings and begs the question – why?
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“I remember some mates asked me to come along to a meeting back in 1968 … and I’ve been there ever since, I love it,” Barry said.
“It’s the community involvement, the projects, the sense of achievement … we’ve done so much and made such a difference.”
Barry reels off a list of projects from the jetty at ANZAC Park, which was completed last year to the barbeques in all the local parks that are cleaned daily, not to mention the maintenance of the parks themselves.
And then there is the footpath between Bellwood and the Nambucca Heads RSL they made in the ‘70s, the bags of clothes they collected for the Smith Family and loaded onto the train bound for Sydney back then and lunches they used to cook for senior citizens at Scotts Head.
The social aspects were also a great drawcard: “We used to have an annual ‘mud eye’ (corn) feast, it was a big family evening out on the farm and the kids loved it.”
His wife Jan is a great supporter. She and the other wives make up the Lions Ladies, a separate entity with its own social outings, but also on the spot when it comes to ring-a-thons or raffles.
While Lion Les McDonald is ‘the new kid on the block’ with only 18 months membership, his enjoyment of and passion for the organisation is undeniable.
“The community in Lions is beautiful plus there is the huge asset of all the work they have done and do,” Les said.
“What you see is actually only the tip of the iceberg – underneath there is this huge well of empathy that sees the group connected with 20 or more causes, all of which offer support and relief to others.
People know us for what we do – but they don’t know really what we are
- Lion Les McDonald
“People know us for what we do – but they don’t know really what we are, which is a big-hearted group donating, caring, helping beyond the shire. Lions has 1.4 million members worldwide in 210 countries, and we are part of that, that makes me feel proud.”
Some of the better-known programs include the Big Red Kidney Bus, Lions Green Teams, Youth Recreational Camps, the Eye Institute and Hearing Dogs.
With members not getting any younger, this pride of Lions is on the prowl for more members and inviting anyone who is interested to come along to a free information session/ sausage sizzle on Saturday, March 2 at the Nambucca Plaza.
Put the date in your diary – you never know, it could be a life changer.
Also making the news:
Ute Schulenberg
Journalism was always my plan but plans being what they are, I did not get to realise it until my early 40s ... and have loved every minute since. For me community journalism is the most intimate and honest place to be in this field - telling the stories of people I live with, side-by-side, every day. It is an honour.
Journalism was always my plan but plans being what they are, I did not get to realise it until my early 40s ... and have loved every minute since. For me community journalism is the most intimate and honest place to be in this field - telling the stories of people I live with, side-by-side, every day. It is an honour.
