HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-04-23, Page 21I like what good weather does to
people.
Our recent good fortune, weather
wise, has had a marked effect on
people's personalities. l'iOt Only does it
tend to bring the crazLes out from under
the snowbanksbut, people tend to be
more cheery and tolerable.
In my own case, the relatively mild
temperatures make me want, to get
moving and do neat warm weather
staff. Like laying around outside and
drinking beer instead of laying around
inside and drinking beer.
The weather has affected me to the
extent that I reported to work on
Monday (in the afternoon of course)
offering a .whistled rendition of
Melancholy Baby. I just go crazy like
that sometimes.
And while the weather has finally
turned 'in our favor there are other
determining factors that signal the
arrival of spring.
And your over-worked columnist, in
another astounding application of his
acute perceptual acumen, . has,
recgrded the signs that offer conclusive
prof: of the season. If there wasany
doubt an your minds.
You, know itis spring when:
1.Members of the Toronto ° Maple
Leafs klockey club are golfing, boating,
'playing tennis and signing autographs
at car wash openings instead' of ap-
plying quick flicks of the Koho to af►
opponents ear.
2.H4 of the towns folk return from
Florida;, looking tanned and well
rested,' and remark that the weather is
rather unsavory here:
3.The Toronto Blue Jays baseball
team is already in last place in the
American League and the season is but
a few'games old.
4. The ladies return their thermal
pantyhose to the winter drawer along
with the neck -high, ankle length nightie
for something more conducive to the
warm nights.
5. The Stanley Cup playoffs are still
on television and the kids are excitedly
Lions -have had
64 presidents
The Goderich Lions
Club has had ` 64
presidents since it was
formed in 1922. They have
been:
R.C. Hays. '(1922-23),
C.K. Saunders (1923-24),
C.C. Lee (1924-25), Dr.
W.F. Gallow ,(1925-26),
Dr. J.A. Graham (1926-
27), E.D. Brown (1927-
28), S.D. Croft (1929,
January to June), Dr.
J.M. Field (1929, June to
December)., Andrew
McKay (1930, January to
June), Andrew Porter
(1930, June . to Decem-
' ber), G.L. Parsons 0931,
January to June); Rev.
J.N. Mills (1931; June to
Pecemb.e-i), W.F.
SaunclerS (1.932,. January
to June), J.A. Campbell
(1932, June to Decem-
ber), Harry Edwards
(1933, January to June),
C.R. Johnston (1933, June
to December), H.S. Griff
(1934, January to June),
A.L, Cole (1934, June to
December), J.H. Taylor
(1935, ' January to
December), F.E. Hibbert
(January 1936 to June
1937), F. Donnelly (July
1937 to June 1938), Roy
Stonehouse (1938-39),
Nelson Hill (1939-40),
A.H. Erskine (1940-41),
James Kinkead (1941-42),
T.R. Patterson (1942-43),
D.D. Mooney (1943-44),
W.J. Hodge (1944-45),
Bruce Tennant (1945-46),
Jack Coates . (1946-47),
Guy Emerson (1947-48),
R.G. Sanderson (1948=49),
H.W. Bettger (1949-50),
H.L. Watson (1950-51),
L.B. Walzak (1951-52), G.
McManus (1952-53),
George Parsons ,(1953-
54), George Filsinger
'(1954-55), M.H. Stephens
(1955-56), A.P. Boutilier
(1956-57), G.G. Gardiner
(1957-58), William T.
Linnby (1958-5.9), Ebb
Rbss, (1959-60), George L
Ellis (1960-61), John -
Stringer (1961-62), Bill
Schaeffer ' (1962-63),
Ernie -Crawford ((1963-
64), Peter ' MacEwan
(1964-65), Maurice Jenkin
(1965-66), Jim Britnell
(1966-67), Ralph Smith
(1967-68)., J.W. Coulter
(1968-69), Harold Baird
(1969-70), Ken Dunn
(1970-71), Herb Murphy
(1971-72), Tim Elliott
(1972-73), Bill Alcock
(1973-74), Ed Jessop
(1974-75), Archie Barber
(1975-76), Paul Schutz
(1976-77), Ben Chisholm
(1977-78), Roger Turcotte
(1978 -79) -and Paul Rivers
(1979-80).
Godericth
1a YEAR -17
1
talking about a camping tripthe
weekend the deciding game is to be
played.
6. Little white birdie doo doos begin
appearing op your newly -washed car
and then tl little suckers have the
nerve to begin singing at sunrise.
7. When friends start remarking
about the amount of moss, winterkill
and other bits of winter debris lodged in
your hair.
8. You discover that the family
wagon is b ing held together by four
tons of sand and salt it attracted from
our county highways.
9. Everyone else in the neigh-
bourhood has a green lawn and
colourful flowers around the house but
green things refuse to make an ap-
pearance at your place.
10. Finally, when, it really isn't
necessary, you remember to put
windshield washer fluid in 'Your car.
11. The kids start getting ornery and
prankish and think tying mom up on'
the clothesline and reeling' her in an
out is an afternoon of good fun• .
12. The wife puts her feet in ' the:
rniddle of your back and instead, ttf'an
icy 4 degrees below zero they have.
warmed to a clammy 45 .degrees. and
don't evoke nearly as much -excitement
in the rising ritual.
13.Green things start growing but of
your pants after most of the fertilier
meant for the lawn and garden ended
up in the guff of your trousers:
14.The rains never reel*' to,ceas.•e and
three neighbourhood. kids° get stuck up
their waist taking a shortcut through
your recently plowed garden plot. .
15. Crawling things of all sorts begin
to reappear in the pockets of your kids
clothes.
16.
16. It is time to takeoff the snow tires
and storm windows although it seems
like just yesterday you put them on.
17. And finally, you know it's spring
when the cheque book shows, signs of
mild recovery from the winter's fuel
bills.
C)
�._.._..
NAL - STAR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1980
SECOND SECTION
ions have long history
BY JOANNE
BUCHAN7 N`
This weekend the
Goderich Lions Club is
hosting a mini -convention
for District A9. In honor
of this big undertaking,
the Signal -Star has
prepared. the following
written history of the
Clubwith the help of Jim
Kinkead who has been a
member since moving
here as a school inspector
in 1938.
In the summer of 1922 a
First'GoderichiLjons
The Goderich Lions Club received its charter in October of 1922 and
hus provided valuable community service ever since. This picture
was taken of Club members at Menesetung Park in 1923. Back row,
left to right, are the Reverend S.S. Hardy, an unidentified man,
Athol McQuarrie, Walter Buchanan, John Button, Douglas Brown,
Dr. Harry Hall, J.W. Vanatter, Alex• Saunders, unidentified, J.W.
Craigie, Roy Lloyd, Walter Naftel, and C.V. Cartwright. Middle
row, left to right, are Dr. J.A. Graham, Tom Mitchell, uidentified,
unidentified, Frank Saunders, Dudley Holmes, Dr. W.F. Gallpw,
James Malcolm, Wesley Walker, H.C. Dunlop and A.J. MacKay.
Front row, left to right, are E.H. Hill, A.F. Sturdy, E.D.
McLaughlin, R.C. Hays (president), Terry Kidd, J.W. Fraser and
Buck Buchanan. Frank Saunders is the only charter member still
living. He resides in Toronto. (Photo compliments of James
Kinkead)
group of young men from
Goderich who were
concerned with civic
betterment felt that an.
energetic association of
some sort ought to be
formed. Many of these
men were members [of"
the Advertising -tin -and
saw that although this
organization was doing
worthwhile work, there
might be increased op-
portunity in affiliating
with a larger
orgnaization.
Information was sought
from Lions International
and in the month of
August, it was decided to.
form a Lions Club. With
the help of Charles
Naphthali,. Field
Dire c"tor , an
organizational meeting
was set up for September
15, 1922 and 27 charter
members were enrolled
within a few days. One of
those charter members is
still living. His name is
Flank Saunders and he
now resides in Toronto.
The first executive
members of the Goderich
Lions Club are listed in
the Thursday, September
7, 1922 edition of The
Signal. They ' were:
President-R.C. Hays;
first vice-president-Cpt.
E. Hill; second vice-
president-H.C. Dunlop;
third vice-president-H.J.
MacEwan; secretary-
T.H. Mitchell; treasurer-
A.J. McKay; Lion
Tam:er-_L. Parsons; Tail
Twister -W. Walker; a"nd
directors-J.W. Fraser,
C.V. Cartwright, D.E.
Holmes, Dr. Gallow,
George MacEwan, A.
McQuarrie and L•. L.
Knox.
The first luncheon of
the new club was held on
Thursday, September 21,
1922 in the South Street
dining room of the British
Exchange Hotel.
The Goderich Lions
Club • charter was
presented by Harry
Newman, vice-president
of Lions International, at
a dinner held at the
Sunset Hotel on
November 24. This
charter meant that
Goderich had the 13th
Lions Club. in Canada.
The first club had been
founded by Melvin Jones
in the U.S. in 1917. The
first Lions Club formed in
Canada was at Windsor
on March 12, 1920. Next
came Toronto, Hamilton,.
Oshawa, Belleville,
Chatham, Wallaceburg,
' London, Ottawa, Niagara
Falls; St. Catharines,
Port Colborne . and then
Goderich. A club was
formed in Wingham 22
days after the one in
Goderich.
At the charter night in
1922, District Governor,
E.E. Linger, presented
on behalf of the Hamilton
Lions Club, a golden key
as an emblematic in-
vitation to the members
of the Goderich Club to
visit that Club on any
occasion.
About the time that the
very first Lions Club was
formed, men in this
country and the U.S. were
starting to pick up the
pieces as World War I
drew to a close. Mr.
Kinkead recalls igthat the'
attitude in those _days
was: "We'll never have
another war. We're going
to build a great new
world."
This was the spirit on
which Lionism was
founded. It was easy to
generate enthusiasm in
those days fresh after the
war, says Mr. Kinkead.
The Goderich Lions
Club was committed to
follow the principles of
Lionism right from the
start and began 'by af-
firming its faith in
building a better com-
munity. This was tran-
slated into,action.
After the first' few
years of enthusiasm, it
became, . apparent that
some definite project
must be undertaken. The
members' decided ' to
assume 'the care' 'of
crippled children. This
proved to be a worthwhile
undertaking and in co-
operation with„the Lions
l'Clubs in Wingham and
Seaforth, a survey of
crippled children, in
Huron County was made.
Few people, at .this time,
realized the extent of the
problem. The Clubs
received the support of
the various communities
in this work. The number
of cases of crippled
children was greatly
increased in the late 1930s
by the epidemic of polio.
It would have been easy
to assume the task was
too great but the Lions
persevered. They spent
between $7,000 and $8,000
annually helping crippled
children.
The Children's Aid
Society of Huron County
did an outstanding job in
assisting them under the
direction of superin-
tendent, Lion Harry
Edwards. Lion Harry
established contact with
specialists in London and
Stratford and arranged
with the Lions to tran-
sport crippled children
for treatment and en-
couraged them to assume
the cost. This work
brought the increased
support of the com-
munity. ' -
The Lions Clubs of the
county organized three
clinics in: Clinton for
crippled children: At
each of their clinics more
than 70 children attended. a.
The Ions Clubs are
always grateful to the six
.or seven° specialists who
assisted on „these oc-.
casions without pay. •
• The Huron County
Health Unit was formed
in the 1940s. It ,has con-
tinued to serve the •
handicapped children of
the county. The Lions
Clubs continue to assist in
all referred cases. Their
work is known only to
those who benefit.
The Goderich Lions •
Club continues to support
the Children's Treatment
Centre, The Woodeden
Camp and the work of.the
Crippled Chil,dr'en's
Society through the sale
of . Easter Seals. The
present members of the
Lions Club are com-
mitted to follow the work
begun by the charter
members.
The Lions Club of
Goderich has always
been interested in
Alexandra Marine and
General Hospital.
Records show that the
first donation by the club
to the hospital came in
1931 to equip a solarium.
The largest donations
were made in 1957 to
furnish a nursery. and a
contribution of $15,000 in
1967 to aid in the building
of an addition: The -Club
continues to give con-
tributions to the hospital
today to buy equipment.
When the Huron CNIB
advisory board was
formed in 1941, the
Goderich Lions Club
became its partner.
conducting fund raising
campaigns every year to'
Turn to page 2A • .
Here's Joe Marathon Cycler cruising
cooly up Britannia Road against the
wind. No sweat. Well, maybe a little
sweat.
Along with about 150 other
Goderichers, your stalwart
correspondent cycled 20 kilometers
around town last Sunday to raise
money for Cancer research.
I only got my pantleg caught in my
chain four times. I only forgot to stop at
a checkpoint twice. And I only took one
wrong turn.
You notice a whole lot more when
riding a bike around town than you
would if you were driving a car.
Mostly, you notice other bikers.
I didn't know that the bike-a-thon was
a race. It seemed that I was always
riding in a crowd of 13 -year-old boys
who were each bent on finishing first.
Allowing my more basic instincts to
take over, I found myself in the thick of
the competition.
My first burst of adrenalin came
near the start when some kid with a
Superman patch on his rear end
cruised by me. He sent over a sidelong
glance that told me I was slow.
I stayed behind him' until the first
checkpoint where I managed to get my
card punched before his. Taking off
ahead of him I sent the little Superman
a sidelong glance that told him he was
slow.
We passed each other a few more
times after that, but by then the ride
had turned back 'into a bike-a-thon
because I was fresh out of bursts of
adrenalin.
I was busy noticing other things. Like
potholes (avoid one, hit two). Like
broken glass (avoid a smashed pop
bottle and hit the curb). Like cold
hands and a wind that seemed to
change direction every time I did.
There. was a number of spectators
that hung around the route to watch the
huffing and puffing. Some of them were
even pleasant. They waved and
shouted, "Keep it up!" I wondered
what it was I was supposed to keep up.
One person stuck his thumb out for a
ride. I would have obliged if he agreed
to peddle.
Something else that you don't notice
in a car is the quality of Goderich's
oxygen. It's quite diverse. At each set
of lights we had to stop for, I pictured
the car exhaust subtracting 30 years
from my life. In contrast, the air got
crisp and moist near the lake, and I
managed to muster new energy while
passing the horse barns. Somebody
was burning leaves on Blake Street,
which was nice the first time around.
By about the tenth mile, I was
beginning to figure that I had better
things to do. I was approaching the
' Kinsmen Centre which was a rest stop
and I thought I'd take a break -- for
about a week and a half.
"Why am I doing this?" I asked a
passing squirrel.
Then I'got my second wind. I started
to think about my grandpa, who lost his
battle with cancer. And I thought about
my dad, who won his, and about his
sister who didn't make it.
I sailed past the rest stop and started
to push 'as hard as I could. Maybe I
wanted to, feel a bit of the pain they did
and hoped mine would lessen
somebody else's.
Back at the mall, there was a bunch
of damp -looking riders with contented
smiles on their faces and sore rear
ends. I caught a glimpse of the little
Superman packing some chocolate
chip cookies and downing a bottle of
pop.
He grinned at me and held up hi
certificate. I held up mine and nobod
mentioned who came in first.
cath
wooden