Sixty years and still roaring

The Lions Club of Narrabri is celebrating a sixty-year milestone this December, marking a six decade-long legacy of fellowship and community service since its inaugural meeting at the Namoi Hotel in 1963.

That’s 60 years for the Lions Club in Narrabri, 75 years of Lions Clubs in Australia, and 106 years as a worldwide organisation.

Honorary life member Bob Percival has been with the club for 43 years, joining in 1980.

“That’s 60 years this December – most of the blokes are my age and we mightn’t see each other for 70 years,” said Mr Percival.

“I was 32 when I joined, now I’m 75.”

Club number 22418 of the International Association of Lions Clubs, The Lions Club of Narrabri is one of over 50,0000 throughout the world, in more than 200 countries, and has certainly left its mark on the Narrabri Shire.

“Membership is open to anybody, whether you’re 18 to whatever, over the years we’ve tended to only mix with people our own age, but now we want to see some younger kids carry on the tradition,” said Mr Percival.

As a recipient of the prestigious International Lion’s President’s Award earlier this year Mr Percival had many thoughts on what 60 years represented for the Narrabri Lions.

“We have seen and been part of many changes,” said Mr Percival.

“But in some ways, remarkable strides have been made.

“In 1963, Lions members were all male.

Today our International President is a Canadian lady, Lion Patty Hill.

“Sixty years ago, Lions sang Lions songs from their songbook and always sang ‘God Save The Queen’.

“Sixty years ago, a schooner of beer cost two bob – two shillings. Dinner might cost 10 bob, ten shillings.

“A week’s wages were around twenty quid, 20 pounds.

“A visit to the doctor would cost one guinea, one pound one shilling.

“Sixty years ago, Gunnedah was 60 miles away, now they have shifted it to 100 kilometres away.

“Sixty years ago, if we were lucky, we listened to the radio; television was about to become a reality available in black and white to those who could afford it.

“Sixty years ago, most streets were gravel only, with no kerbs and guttering.

“Some things haven’t changed, the Lions Code of Ethics, The Lions commitment to serve humanity and the willingness to serve,” said Mr Percival.

The Motto of Lions Clubs around the world is “we serve” and clubs’ members are individually bound by a code of ethics which is enshrined in the Standard Lions Club Constitution.

“We’re here to build the town in which we live, it’s in our grace,” said Mr Percival.

And help the town they have, with their substantial contribution to many projects and a proud history of community building:

* In 1965, donating an Ice machine to the Narrabri Hospital.

* In 1968, constructing the Ladies Rest Centre, now the Toy Library on Tibbereena Street.

* In 1969, purchasing a 15-seater bus for the handicapped children’s school.

* In 1975, completing and opening the Cooma Oval Sporting Complex, and in 1984, completing and dedicating the Narrabri Lawn Cemetery.

* And the completion and opening of the Narrabri Netball complex in 1989.

Although Lions Clubs own and support their international and national projects and foundations, their primary goal is to support their local community first, meaning that every club has access to funding and support for local causes or sudden disasters.

For the past 100 years, blindness became a passionate cause taken on by the club after author and activist Helen Keller came along to the first Lion’s convention in America and challenged lions to make eye conditions a project.

Now shifting into their second century of service to the worldwide community, goals have been expanded to focus on diabetes awareness, youth, hunger, environment, and childhood cancer, all international programs that the Lions Club is supporting, and which the clubs support on a local basis.

One of the most successful projects was the sponsorship of the Narrabri Lioness Club.

Another proud celebration was the Lions Club October long weekend festival which ran for 20 years.

Starting on a Friday morning of the long weekend through until Monday afternoon, Collins Park would be roped off for Oktoberfest, sideshows, woodcutting displays, a carnival, and the build-up to the Festival Queen contest.

When Bob Percival arrived in 1976 to build a drive-in theatre and was approached by the Lions to have a charity screening night fundraising to build the Narrabri Lawn Cemetery, he did not know that an entire legacy of service would await him.

“The Lions are about family first, job second, and Lions third – family always takes priority, and a dedicated Lion comes in at number three,” said Mr Percival.

“The Lions can do a lot of things for a lot of people and organisation is a grace in itself.

“You can go a long way in leadership training, your social life is as good as you make it, and there’s a lot of fellowship out on the job.”