Lions’ mane event- Looking back on Healesville Lions, from left, Lion Leanne Jonson, Cr Jeanette McRae, Lion president Bert Bresser and Lions Club District Governor Anthony Stockdale.

By Kath Gannaway
ONE of the first things chiropractor Paul Walker did when he moved to Healesville was join the Lions Club of Healesville.
“There’s no doubt in my mind it’s one of the best decisions I ever made,” he said at a membership drive and information night on Wednesday, 30 March.
The club’s drive for new members is part of a year of events marking the 50th birthday of the club.
Although Mr Walker is among a minority of younger members active in Healesville Lions, his reason for joining, pretty much summed up what its members have always been about.
“I wanted to be part of my community; not just a resident in it,” he said.
Among a number of milestones mentioned were the club’s charter in August 1961 with the late Bill Frogley as its Charter President, and the induction in 2000 of the club’s first female members, Shirley McVea and Elaine Dossor.
The roll-call of Lions projects over the last 50 years reflected the role the organisation had played in developing community facilities and services for all ages.
The 1962 bushfires were a catalyst for the first building project – two residential units on Maroondah Highway.
That led to the building of the Lions Retirement Village and another major project was the Senior Citizens Club Rooms, opened in 1964.
Other Lions projects include Coronation Park redevelopment, the Yarra Marra canoe race for the Red Cross, the catering vans, the main street clock and pedestrian walkways, annual fruit and Lions cake deliveries to nursing homes and others in need, the picnic spot on Badger Creek Road, the Lions Den opportunity Shop, Carols by Candelight and many more.
Every year the op shop returns $70,000 to community groups and a couple of years ago the Healesville Lions, with support from Healesville Rotary and some individual donors handed over a cheque for $48,000 to the Healesville SES for their jaws of life equipment.
Lions District Governor Anthony Stockdale and Yarra Ranges’ councillor Jeanette McRae congratulated the club on its 50-year record of achievement and urged those anyone thinking of getting involved in their community to accept the Lions’ invitation.
Mr Stockdale said that becoming a Lions member did not mean sacrificing all else.
“In Lions family and work comes first, you have to look after those two things and if you have a few hours each month and would like to put something back into your community, then Lions could be for you,” he said.
Cr McRae said the record of Healesville Lions Club spoke for itself in terms of what it contributed to the local community.
“This club has been around for a very long time and is a really strong club, but it is only as strong as its members,’ she said.
She said there were lots of reasons to volunteer “Learning new skills, sharing skills, it’s about social connections and friendship, and above all, it’s the volunteers who are the strength of the community,” she said.
For more information on becoming a Healesville Lions Club member, phone Bert Bresser on 0410 076 140 or Elaine Dossor on 5962 4582.