HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-04-01, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2010. PAGE 7.Lions look back to celebrate 65 years in BlythWith a 65th anniversary ahead ofthem, the Blyth Lions are lookinginto their past to celebrate thefuture.
John Stewart, First Vice
Governor of the Blyth Lions, said
that the history of the group is
filled with community spirit,
outlining some of their past
projects.
Stewart, who joined the Lions in
1974, said that the first major
project for the Lions was Lions
Park, located at the corner of
Gypsy Lane and Wellington Street.
“We still have and maintain it,”
he said. “And we’ve added to it
through the years. There is
playground equipment, picnic
areas, a pavilion and washrooms.”
Stewart said the park is a staple
of the community, as the pavilion
is always in use in the warmer
months.
“We've had anniversaries there,
parties, there are beer gardens
there for bigger events,” he said.
“And we’ve even seen a few
weddings there over the years.”
The 31 member group meets
twice monthly at the clubhouse
maintained at the park, where they
debate the projects they will be
involved in.
Some of the bigger community
upgrades the group has
participated in include replacing
the light standards and upgrading
the ball parks at the community
centre, the new arena, and the
artificial ice being placed in the old
arena, according to Stewart.
“In 1963, the Blyth Lions
spearheaded the artificial ice
project,” Stewart said. “The Lions
dug out the ground and put in the
pipes. We brought in cement for
the job one wheelbarrow at a time.”
Another staple of the
Lions participation in the
community is the Youth Exchange
Program.
“Charlie Shaw, the first chair for
the exchange board [for our
district], is one of our members,”
Stewart said. “We support the 35-
year-old program, as it allows
youth from Canada to experience
learning elsewhere in the world,
and allows youth from all over the
world the chance to study here.”
Other youth initiatives that the
Lions are involved in include the
effective speech program, the
Remembrance Day stories, poems
and art-work competitions, local
sports like soccer, hockey, figure
skating and broomball, and scouts.
Stewart said that the current aim
of the Lions is to prepare a history
book for their anniversary
celebration.
“It will include pictures, and
letters of commendations for the
Blyth Lions from the past,” he
said. “Many Lions will have
contributed, as the articles have
been spread out over all of our
members in the past.”
Stewart said that the book will be
ready for the anniversary.
The Lions will celebrate their
65th anniversary on Thursday,
April 8 at Blyth and District
Community Centre, starting at
6:00 p.m.
Guest speaker Dave Overboe, a
past Governor of the A9 District,
of which Blyth is a part, will mark
the occasion.
The Lions Club of Blyth was
originally formed by 20 Blyth
men, who held a short meeting
following a Kinsmen Meeting.
Presided over by Dr. Donald
Hodd, the meeting asked whether
the assembled men would prefer a
Kinsmen Club or Lions Club being
formed in Blyth, and a Lions Club
was chosen by a vote of 12 to 8.
N.W. Kyle was elected interim
president of the club, while Dr.
Hodd was elected interim
Secretary-Treasurer.
All 20 men present signed up for
the club.
By their first regular meeting,
held at the Commercial Hotel’s
dining room, with two members
counted absentee, the group had
grown to 34 members.
The group sang songs, and dealt
with fines being levied against
uncooperative members.
The executive of the Lions also
met that week to determine which
members would comprise the
standing committees.
The attendance committee was
chaired by Lion Ken Whitmore,
with Ray Dobbyn and Harvey
McCallum under him.
The Finance committee was
chaired by Lion Les Hilborn, with
Frank Wasman and Irvine Wallace
under him.
The Membership commitee was
chaired by Lion Gordon Elliott,
with Harvey McCallum under him.
The Program and Entertainment
committee; chaired by Stan
Sibthorpe, included Arthur
Sinclair, George McNall, FrankBainton, Norm Garret and BillWatson.The Publicity and Educationcommittee was chaired by BertGray, with Stuart Robinson andGeorge McNall.
The Boys and Girls Work
Committee was chaired by Gar
Doherty and included Bert Tasker,
Gord Augustine and Frank
Tyreman.
The Community Betterment
Committee was chaired by Stuart
Durward, with Harold Vodden, Bill
Thuell, George Radford and Stan
Chellew under him.
The Health and Welfare
Committee was chaired by Jack
Watson and included Lew
Whitfield, Dr. Donald Hodd, and
Dell Philp.
The Rural Relations Committee
was chaired by Maitland Henry,
with Bill Morritt, Bill Hallahan
and Jack Watson under him.
The War Services and Post War
Committee was chaired by Harold
Phillips, and included Jack Elliot
and Gord Augustine under him.
In future meetings, the original
Blyth Lions would receive reports
and recommendations from these
committees that helped to lay the
foundation for the programs and
projects the group is involved in
today.
By Denny ScottThe Citizen
404 Queen St.,
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Lions liquid
Among the many pictures and letters set to make an appearancec in a history book being put
together for the Blyth Lions 65th anniversary is this memory; as a gift to honour Frank Bainton,
the Bainton clan donated a water fountain to the Lions Park. Shown is Lions John Stewart
(left) and Ken Stewart (third from left) receiving the donation from Franklin Snell, grandson of
Frank, Cenetta Bainton, wife of Frank, and Glenyce Snell, Frank’s daughter. (Denny Scott photo)
North Huron Township Council
has taken the next step in seeing a
new school being built on the
eastern border of Wingham.
In previous meetings, the council
approved an Official Planning
amendment to allow the school to
be built, but held off on approving a
zoning change and severance
request until recommended
conditions could be set.
At their March 16 meeting,
council received these
recommendations, and passed the
severance request with a recorded
vote of 5-2.
Councillors David Riach and
Brock Vodden stated they would not
support the move.
Council may be dealing with the
zoning by-law change in the near
future, according CAO Gary Long.
The zoning by-law change will
see the end of John Street in
Wingham, where F. E. Madill
Secondary School is currently
located, transformed to provide
access to a second school.
The severance request saw one
part of the lot for the school created,
the second part is in Morris-
Turnberry.
Morris-Turnberry councillors will
be faced with a similar choice at
their future council meetings.
Councillors also decided to wave
a normal $500 fee that accompanies
severances in lieu of the creation of
parkland.
The school’s construction will see
large playing fields created, which
the councillors decided filled the
need for parkland.
North Huron approves
severance for new school