Normally for our second meeting in November we have a State Fair celebration. This hear we did things a little different. Past District Governor Allen Swaim visited our club to give us a word of encouragement. Since we learned the news that the State Fair was tearing down “restaurant row” and we would be losing our biggest fundraiser we really needed this!
PDG Allen is a seasoned speaker and is always entertaining so he started us off with a few lawyer jokes (he is a lawyer). Then he spoke about something he learned from coach Jim Valvano in his days at NC State where he had got undergraduate degree. We should always know where we came from, where we are and where we are going. Then he related that to the Apex Lions Club. We had an amazingly successful run of 81 years at the NC State Fair and was an integral part of how we got to where we are today. Now we have an opportunity to find a new way to make an impact in Apex. Then he shared a story about a very small Lions Club in New York which was nearly out of members when they found a new opportunity and today their club is thriving and serves their community every night of the week. We have an opportunity to do a similar thing if we are up for the challenge and we don’t give up.
Lion Horace Johnson also presented PDG Allen with a check for $1,300 which was the money we collected from donations at the State Fair for the drive to cure blindness. This was almost 3 times what was raised last year!
The other tradition at this meeting is to present the club awards. This year we had plenty! Melvin Jones Fellowships were awarded to: Lions David Delehanty, Bill Lemon and Joe Salvas
Beacon of Hope awards were presented to Lions Lisa Montoya, Robert Montoya, Anthony Formichelli and Kevin Conroy.
Finally the William Jennings Booth Lion of the Year was awarded to Lion Joe’l Lynde
