By Raquel Mustillo
THE Lioness Club of Millicent will enter its second decade of community service under a new banner, with the civic group transitioning into a Lions Club.
The service club has joined the Lions family and is now the Lions Club of Wattle Range Lioness, with the Blue Lake City Lioness soon to become charter Lions.
Recent changes by Lions International by-laws has propelled both groups to become Lions Clubs ahead of the cessation of the Lioness program at the end of June 2021.
Millicent stalwart and long-time Lioness member Joan Lucas will head the new club as the charter president and will be joined by 20 members.
Millicent Lioness president Beccy Field said both clubs agreed that becoming Lions Clubs offered members the best ability to continue to work independent and service the community.
Ms Field reassured community members the clubs’ existing projects, including the popular Lioness Bookshop, will continue under the new banner.
“For the community of Millicent, only the name changes – not the faces nor the projects,” she said. “The club will still work closely with the Lions Club of Millicent and they will be sponsoring the new club.”
Established in November 2003, the Millicent club is well known for its extensive fundraising efforts and community service to Millicent and surrounding communities.
The clubs’ second-hand bookshop has raised almost $40,000 since it was opened in 2016 and provided funds for Limestone Coast organisations including the Millicent National Trust Museum, the Country Fire Service and Noorla Yo-Long.
The bookshop is one of the clubs’ biggest money spinners and complements the Walnut Shop – a second-hand store which has raised more than $30,000 for prostate cancer research.
Blue Lake City Lioness president Beryl Mahoney said members were overwhelmingly supportive of transferring to Lions Club, with the charter set for March next year.
Ms Mahoney, who will head the Mount Gambier Lions Club of Blue Lake City Lioness, said members had the option to continue as a Lions Club or operate an an auxiliary association.
“We want to continue the work we have always done with the community and continue to deliver our projects, including the work we do with Mount Gambier Library,” she said.
“Every two weeks a couple of members go to the library, pick up books and deliver them to people who might not be able to access the library.
“We also have the ‘Look Good, Feel Better’ initiative and work with the cosmetic industry to provide make up to women with cancer.
“Our members volunteer at the Sunset Kitchen, help decorate the Christmas tree with Mount Gambier City Council and do Christmas gift wrapping at Mount Gambier Central, which we are currently doing now.”
