Three local residents were recently inducted into the Saskatchewan Lions Hall of Fame in Saskatoon on Friday, October 27th.
Churchbridge Lion Bill Johnston was joined by Esterhazy PDG Lion Dan Babyak and Esterhazy Lion Harold Esslinger as inductees at the Hall of Fame event.
Allan Sullivan, a co-chair of the Saskatchewan Lions Hall of Fame Committee explained, “The Hall of Fame started in 1997 and that was back when there were four districts named 5CA,5CE, 5CN and 5CW. The nominee must have served as an active Lion or Lioness for 10 years”.
The three local members have invested themselves in their communities and were nominated in their respective clubs for their dedication to community service over the years.
The biographies provided for the award recipients are as follows:
Lion Bill Johnston
Lion Bill Johnston joined Lions International in 1979 as a member of the Yorkton Sunrise Lions Club. He transferred to the Churchbridge Lions Club in 1981 when he moved to Churchbridge, becoming an active member of the club for 42 years, with a two-year break in 1998 and 1999. He has served as Vice-President, President and Tail Twister of the club and has been Club Secretary for 30 years. He has always been a willing participant in all club projects through the years and, most recently, has chaired the Lions Chocolate Easter Bunny and the Churchbridge Community Calendar fundraising projects. One of his projects through the years has been helping organize the town’s July 1st Canada Day celebrations, hosted by the Lions.
A very proud and surprising moment of his Lions life was being presented a Melvin Jones Fellowship by his fellow Churchbridge Lions in 2018.
At the District level, Lion Bill served as District 5-CA Cabinet Secretary in 1980-81. He mentioned that it was a great opportunity to visit many of the clubs in the District. Johnston served as Zone 8 Chairman in 1994-95 and has assisted three Zone Chairmen through the years as their Zone Secretary. He was part of three District 5-CA Convention Planning Committees held in Melville in 1982-83 and Esterhazy in 1998-99 and 2005-06.
As a member of the Churchbridge Lions Club he helped with the Chartering of the Esterhazy Lions and MacNutt & District Lions Clubs in 1984 and both clubs are still vital parts of their respective communities.
Lion Bill has been very active in his communities, both in Yorkton and Churchbridge. He played an important role in the start of the Churchbridge Daycare Co-operative and was instrumental in raising funds for the $1.2 million Churchbridge Aquatic Centre. Bill was chair of the town’s Canada 150 Celebrations. He and Lynda were named Community Volunteers of the Year by the Churchbridge Recreation Board in 2014. Johnston is currently serving a term as the Mayor of Churchbridge.
Career-wise, he spent 50 years in the Canadian Community Newspaper industry, 40 of which were as owner and publisher of The Four-Town Journal, serving the towns of Bredenbury, Churchbridge, Langenburg and Saltcoats. He served several years on the Board of Directors of the Sask. Weekly Newspapers Association and was elected its President in 1990. He represented Saskatchewan on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association for three years. He sold the paper and became semi-retired in 2019, still operating a small commercial printing business.
Johnston is an active member of his church as a lay service leader and representative on Parish and Diocesan Councils.
Both Bill and Lynda’s greatest prides of joy are their daughters Krystal and Julia, and their three grandchildren, Ivy, Jeorgia and Will.
Lion Harold Esslinger
1973 Harold joined the Langenburg Lions Club
1974-75 Volunteer in the Town of Langenburg – sports, coaching, hockey and curling arenas
1976 Coached minor baseball
1977 Assisted in the construction of a new building at the local arena for the ice cleaner and tractor
1978 Nominated for President of Minor Ball and Minor Hockey Committees
1979 Elected as Town of Langenburg Council Member
1980 As a Town Council Member – helped install artificial ice piping in both the hockey and curling arenas
1981 Volunteered on the Hockey Committee in search and purchase of artificial ice cleaner and tractor
1982 Helped to install seating in Waiting Room for seniors in arena
1983 Volunteered on Committee for ordering tempered glass windows, as well as helping with installation
1984-85 Volunteered in the Arena Canteen for both hockey and curling rink as needed for winter months (2 winters)
1986 Elected as President of Langenburg Lions Club
1987 Volunteered on the committee for locating tennis court material from Yorkton Regional School (fence and posts) for installation in Langenburg Town Park. Volunteered to paint lines and installing the net
1988 Volunteered to enlarge hockey dressing rooms and install belting on floors for hockey players
1990 Harold joined Esterhazy Lions Club
Esterhazy Lions Club President in 1993-1994; 2001-2002; 2009-2010
Treasurer of Esterhazy Lions Club for 7 years
Sponsored 9 members of Esterhazy Lions Club
Lions Member for 49 years
Held the positions of Tail Twister and Lion Tamer for both Langenburg and Esterhazy Lions Clubs
Involved in Various Lions Committees Including:
a) Sport & Pork Days Committee
b) World Service Day – Senior Window Washing Committee
c) Wine Fest Committee
d) Fall Trade Show – Chairman
e) Chairman – Craft Show (2006 – 2022)
f) Trail Ride Committee
g) Ice Fishing Derby Committee
h) Roughrider 2 Season Raffle Tickets Committee
i) Lions Chase the Ace Lottery Committee
Awards
a) Dog Guides Life Membership (20 years) 1983 – 2003
b) Lions Eye Bank Life Membership – 2013
c) Dog Guides Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship – 2013
d) Marvin Chamber Fellowship – 2018
e) Melvin Jones Fellow 2018 – 2019
f) Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan) – 2022
Miscellaneous
Involved with the Esterhazy community helping coach minor baseball and minor hockey
Volunteered – Food Hamper/Christmas Gifts Program to needy families
Volunteered in the community to repair ball diamonds, bleachers, damaged seats and painting e) – Volunteer of Esterhazy Curling Club including working during bonspiels and canvassing
for donations or prizes
Nominated as President of Esterhazy Curling Club which included bonspiels and
committee meetings. Organized the “100 Year Anniversary” of Esterhazy Curling Club (2009)
Volunteered at Potash Interpretive Centre (Esterhazy) as Tour Guide as well as volunteer
help at BBQs raising funds for the Potash Interpretive Centre
Chosen as 2018 Volunteer of the Year at the Volunteer Appreciation and Recognition
Award Event
Volunteered at Redeemer Lutheran Church Esterhazy – BBQ’s, Pancake Suppers and
Garage Sales, helping to raise funds for the Church
Volunteered at Redeemer Lutheran Church and New Stockholm Church (Joint Parish
Council) – Chairman and Vice Chairman (alternating positions yearly)
Volunteered as a janitor (4 years) and other duties at Redeemer Lutheran
Church
PDG Lion Dan Babyak
Lion Dan Babyak started his journey with Lions in April of 1983 in Mirror, Alberta which is part of District 37F.
Lion Dan then transferred to the Estevan Lions Club in September of 1984. While in Estevan, he served in all positions of the club at least two times. He also served as chair of the Lions CNIB Golf Classic, as co-chair of several District 5 CE conventions. He served two terms as zone chair in District 5 CE. He also participated in the selling of the Lions Lottery tickets.
Lion Dan transferred to the Lions Club of Esterhazy in September of 2010. As a new member here he helped with the Trail Ride, Wine Fests, Fish Derby and selling of the Rider Season ticket raffle ticket sales.
Lion Dan worked as 2nd and 1st Vice District Governor and then District Governor for the 2017-2018 year.
Lion Dan has been the President for 2 years, Treasurer for 2 years and as Secretary for the last 5 years. Lion Dan is currently the club Membership Chair and the District LCIF Coordinator for District 5 SKN.
Lion Dan helps with cooking burgers and hotdogs for the Esterhazy school Warrior football games.
Lion Dan is heavily involved in the Esterhazy Lions Chase the Ace.
Lion Dan has received the following recognitions. Life member in the Saskatchewan Lions Eye Bank, Life member in Lions Foundation of Canada, Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship, Lions Foundation of Canada Fellowship, Marvin Chambers Fellowship, Melvin Jones Fellowship and most recently an International Presidents Award.
Lion Dan is happily married to Charlotte for 54 years and has 3 children and 7 grandchildren
Congratulations to the three recipients on their achievement of joining the Saskatchewan Lions Hall of Fame.