In the lead up to Volunteer Week (21–27 May), Golden Plains Shire Council will be sharing information about some of the Shire’s amazing volunteers who embody this year’s Volunteer Week theme, ‘Give a little, change a lot’. The volunteers we are profiling have given so much more than a little; the underlying message of the theme is that often small efforts (in the grand scheme of things), can yield significant positive change.
The Bannockburn and District Lions Club has been serving the community for 29 years; during this time, their impact on Golden Plains Shire has been vast and meaningful.
The Club’s core business is assisting those in need – it doesn’t get much more selfless than that. They have donated food hampers, wheel chairs and walkers for disabled children, and have even donated a drinking fountain, support dog, tombstone and more – each for a unique and important reason that addresses a need in the community.
They are well-known for their successful working bees, which they deliver to assist people who are less able. Furthermore, the annual Metal Muster has moved tonnes of scrap metal from back yards into the recycling chain.
The Club was also instrumental in the enhancement of the Lions Park Playground – it now has a community barbecue and has undergone other improvements, delivered with help from Council and Bannockburn Connected Communities.
The Club has organised major community events in Golden Plains Shire, namely its Australia Day breakfasts. Each year on Australia Day, the Club hosts a free community breakfast, which is always well-attended and greatly appreciated by the community. Major fairs have been organised by the Club as well, including the popular Battle of Bannockburn festival.
They also provided disaster support, which included catering, during the Black Saturday fires and helped out with hay donations and transport support for the Need for Feed campaign.
Golden Plains Shire Council is very proud of, and thankful for, the Bannockburn and District Lions Club and all their members, past and present. Golden Plains, particularly Bannockburn, wouldn’t be the same without their invaluable and selfless role in the community.
Picture 1 (header image): Lions 100th Centenary Dinner with nonogerian Lion, Ern Hutchinson, Lion President, Ann Marie Lander and Charter Lion, Harold Moyle
Picture 2 (below): Expanded Lions Park, Bannockburn, January 2018
National Volunteer Week is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers.