Lion Keith Thorsness received the Melvin Jones Fellowship award for his 50th anniversary of being a Lions member. Bredenbury Lions member Joe Andrew opened the ceremony and spoke about Lion Keith, saying he is “Not just a Lion, but a Lions’ Lion.”
Lion Keith joined the Bredenbury Lions Club as a charter member on April 1, 1971. Lion Joe said, “Since that time he has held most club offices, several more than once. From butchering turkeys, peeling vegetables and serving fowl suppers for over 400 people at a sitting, to working on the sound system with Lion Edward Badowich, to helping with the sound booth for the new arena, to flipping burgers for the community picnic, to highway cleanup, to selling tickets and calendars and packing candy bags for the Christmas concert; Lion Keith has done it all. From all of us, we say thank you.”
Lion Joe said in his speech that “Lion Keith has always been supportive of all of our community projects, such as the Rose Bowl. Some of you remember when we had ball diamonds down there. He’s helped with the gazebo on Main Street, a local gymnasium, a local seniors hockey club, the washrooms at the Lions playground and the splash park, and funding for teachers to take Lions Quest training.”
Lion Gladys joined the Bredenbury Lions Club as the first female in the club. Lion Joe explained, “There was quite an uproar and dissent amongst the old boys in the club. Lion Keith had the foresight to see that women in our club would only make our club better and stronger. The women today in our club are the reason that we were able to carry on. If it wasn’t for the women joining our club, we would have ceased existence a long time ago very simply”
Melvin Jones Fellowships are named for Melvin Jones, the founder of Lions Clubs International. It is largely due to the growth of the fellowship program that LCIF has been able to meet humanitarian needs in communities around the world. Fellowship contributions help to bring medication to those in need.
Each Melvin Jones scholarship contribution can restore the eyesight of 167 individuals or provide Lions Quest to 67 youth. There is a wall showing the international members who received the Melvin Jones Fellowships and Keith’s name has been added to this listing of all individuals in the program.
Lion Keith accepted his award with pride. He stated, “It’s been a great time and we accomplished lots. I think of our first fowl supper where we decided to use live turkeys rather than use the ready-butchered ones. Fred still talked about it for the past two or three years. Thanks! This is a real honour.”
Daughter Myra Hasenclever thanked the Bredenbury Lions club on her dad’s behalf. She mentioned everyone is like family and they work together. “We were reminiscing about the many Lions projects and what happened over the years, and his most memorable as he said, was the yearly fowl supper where everybody really got involved and it was so enjoyable.”
She left with a quote from Margaret Mead that stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed; it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Councillor Ken Reykjalin spoke next. He said, “Keith has been a good neighbour and a good friend since I’ve lived here all 11 years. On behalf of the members of the Bredenbury Town Council and the staff, it’s an honour to congratulate you Keith on this milestone award for 50 years of community service with our local Lions Club.”
He continued by saying, “We are so fortunate as a community to have this wonderful service club in our town providing so many benefits to help our citizens for such a long period of time. On behalf of all the residents of our community and the surrounding area, thank you for providing so many projects and services which contribute to the quality of life in our town. Just a name a few, the Lions playground park including a recent addition of a new slide, the spray park, public washrooms, the gazebo park across from Mings, a major contribution to our community fitness room, the continued collection of eyeglasses for recycle for those who cannot afford and hosting many community events such as Mother’s Day brunches, Remembrance Day services, annual picnics on Main Street, to name a few and also fundraisers such as community calendars. Also, of course my personal favourite, the chocolate Easter bunnies. Thanks again to the Lions club for all the things that you do for us, and again congratulations Keith on this awesome award.”
Lion Joe invited the attendees to join for coffee and muffins after the speeches, as well as to view the original charter from 1971.
He ended the event by thanking Lion Keith Thorsness and relaying a quote from Lion Dr. Patti Hill which stated, “You make a living from what you get, you make a life from what you give.”