Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This year the world celebrates the centenary of Lions Clubs. The Lions boast 46,000 clubs worldwide with over 1.6 million members. Their centenary is an incredible milestone. As I travel around the electorate of Calare, my admiration for our Lions keeps getting greater and greater. In every town and community you will see the Lions making true their motto, 'we serve'—serving their communities, serving in a cause greater than themselves.

Today I would firstly like to pay tribute to the wonderful Lithgow Lions Club. There are about 25 members in the Lithgow Lions, including President John Edwards and members Kim Edwards, Alan Blacklock, Joan Deeley, Heather Fitzgerald, William Neubeck, Barbara Bretherton, Sophie Chapman, Gus Denholm, William Evans, Del Friend, Robert Hillman, George Pilla, Rob Welch, Belinda Welch, Jenny Denholm, Lyn Facchina, Dorothy Gee, Alan Lindsay, Ken Collins, Darryl Fitzgerald, Graham Herbert, Ian 'Macca' McManus, Jean Stamper and Jenny Wilson. The Lions recently manned Lithgow's famous Ironfest in April and they will be at it again this weekend at Portland Spring Fair. The Lithgow Lions have also been helping to raise awareness for suicide prevention in our community. So today we salute the Lithgow Lions.

We also pay tribute to the Cudal and Cargo Lions, including President Richard Hazelton, secretary Lyn Frecklington, treasurer Graham Eslick, Jim Brian, who was awarded the most prestigious Melvyn Jones Fellowship for his service recently, Margaret Brien, Darcy Callan, Helen Coleman, Brigitte Eden, David Farrell, Kevin Frecklington, Craig Kollmyer, Brett Mill, Susan Parish, Janet Price, Brent Twaddle, Russell Wicks and Carolyn Smith. The Cudal and Cargo Lions are renowned for their catering at clearance sales in the Cabonne district, and this weekend they'll be working again at the Australian National Field Days.

Geurie is another fantastic Lions Club which I'd like to recognise, including President Rod Althofer, secretary Peter Perry, district governor and treasurer Anne Jones, Malcolm McLeod, Paul White, Neil Baker, Noel Parkes, Michael Ficard, Geoff Perry, John Mills, Jim O'Brien and Ronald 'Tiger' Paxton. The Geurie Lions are very active in our local community and they work very closely together with the Wellington Lions, including president Chris Hardy, secretary and treasurer Mike Augee, Geoff Clark, Ken Vodden, Vic Devenish, Jim Whillock, Pam Whillock, Russell Nott, Tony Sherwood, Tina Kitch, Dave Eslick, Gabbi Collins, John Whitley, who joined the Wellington Lions in 1963, and John Finn, who is the oldest member, at 89 years of age. He and his wife, Val, were recently at the convention dinner.

To all of our hardworking Lions throughout the Central West, I would like to thank you all for giving up your time to make our communities a better place and for making a real difference to the lives of the people within the communities of the Central West. Today, in the centenary of Lion, we salute our local Lions Club members.