Community
25 August, 2023
Roar
CLUB bannerettes have always been a feature of Lions clubs world- wide, each designed by its individual club and incorporating some prominent feature and landmark of their particular area.
The district extends from the nearer western city suburbs through to the South Australian border, and as far north as Skipton, Hamilton, Horsham, Ararat, Casterton and Kaniva.
This district – which encompasses your local clubs – is well known for its continued involvement in far-reaching and community benefitting activities.
This includes health and welfare, youth and disaster response.
And the district has been well-supported by your local Lions club which has been at the forefront in many innovative and successful activities.
This includes a trip by Macarthur Lion Andrew Duyvestyn who drove a stage coach from Macarthur to Melbourne.
This coach was supported by Lions clubs along the way who raised many thousands of dollars to purchase vital equipment for The Royal Childrens Hospital.
They are exchanged between clubs when visiting or visited and many clubs have quite impressive displays or national and international bannerettes to promote the togetherness in service and fellowship of Lions clubs.
However, the growing difficulties in procurement and cost of bannerettes has led to many clubs now favouring club pins (badges) to the traditional flags, which has not only continued in identifying a club and promoting its area but has resulted in a rapid growth of pin collectors worldwide.
Port Fairy-Belfast Lions Club recently introduced its own unique pin designed by local member Lion Geoff McCue.
The pin is in the shape of a shamrock leaf, representing the area’s Irish history as well as featuring the Lions club emblem, the town’s iconic lighthouse, and a whale.
Port Fairy began as a whaling station and visiting whales still find the shallow, sandy-bottomed Port Fairy Bay as the ideal location for scraping barnacles from their stomachs.
Although only recently introduced, Port Fairy-Belfast Lions pins have already found their way to England and the United States.
And have you met a Lion’s trauma bear – or Care Bear as they are often called?
For quite a number of years Lions clubs have been donating their unique bears to emergency services such as Police and ambulances as a tool to help reduce trauma in particularly children as a result of domestic violence or accidence, and as a calming additive for children when being transported by ambulance or helicopter.
Experienced emergency personnel have commented on how the bears reduce anxiety and distress, including occasionally in adults, in traumatic situations.
