Narrabri Lions and Lionesses reflected on their industrious year at their combined changeover and installation on Saturday night.
Members and guests celebrated the occasion with a dinner dance at the Narrabri Golf Club.
The Lions have now entered their 50th year in Narrabri.
Last year’s president, Tim Tapscott, has been returned for another term, while Lioness Kerrie Haire replaces Sue Gleeson as president.
Both clubs kept busy throughout the year raising funds and instigating and supporting community projects.
“Once again Narrabri Lions have had a busy year catering for numerous events, enabling us to work on a number of community projects and donate to many worthy causes,” Mr Tapscott said.
The Lions’ catalogue of community service is impressive.
The club has run a profitable monthly barbecue at the Gypsy Willow Markets and catered at events such as the Narrabri Blue Boars’ 50th anniversary celebrations, CSIRO Australia Telescope open day, Skid n Cruz motor show, Carols by Candlelight, harness club meetings, Christmas street carnival, the Vincent Aviation launch, junior rugby carnival and the Keith Urban concert.
The experienced Lions barbecue cooks sold 240 sausage buns per hour at the Keith Urban concert, averaging four per minute.
At the netball courts, the club has installed new wiring and speakers for the PA system, a storage container, and is now helping the netballers remodel their kitchen complex.
Fabrication has also started on a new fence for the Lions Lawn Cemetery, and members hope to have it installed before Christmas.
A local family which lost its belongings in a house fire and a child in need of a mobility walker also received support.
The Lions raised $4000 for the Narrabri Hospital Auxiliary and Narrabri CanAssist at a successful charity golf day.
Similarly, the Lionesses have been working hard to make library bags for every Kindergarten student in the Narrabri Shire, as well as making emergency toiletry bags for hospital patients and cuddle buddies for children in trauma.
The club has helped cover travel costs for cancer patients and their families, provided support to a family caring for three additional children, donated cakes to Narrabri Shared Table, provided food and money for Christmas hampers, and gave donations to Narrabri High School for its Cambodia excursion.
Lionesses have catered at events, supported Lions Club initiatives and held a successful garden and craft expo.
“The hours that the Lionesses gave freely and with such fellowship was unbelievable, with a total of 803 hours of donated time,” Mrs Gleeson said.
Both clubs also donated a washing machine to the newly opened Abbeyfield House. The Lioness executive includes Sue Gleeson, immediate past president, secretary Rosemary Lampe, treasurer Chris Rex, vice presidents Melissa Hancock, Sheryl Barnes and Brenda McFarland, Lioness tamer Dawn Armstrong, tail twister Beryl Paull, publicity officer Marion McLean and Lion liaison officer Bernie Large.
The Lions executive includes past president and secretary Bob Percival, treasurer Craig Rothwell, vice presidents John McPherson, Alan Tepper and Daniel Clark, Lion tamer Stuart Barnes and Tony Guest, tail twister Rodney Onus, one year directors Ross Campbell and Fred Shepherdson, two year directors Peter O’Connor and Ken Frater, membership directors Mark Laird, Rob Gilbert and Tony Guest, and bulletin editor Vince Haire.