After 50 years of community giving the Stittsville Lionettes are retiring

(The Stittsville Lionettes are dissolving their Club after 50 years of service to the community. Members of the Club are: 1st Row – Georgette St. John (a 50-year member); Diane Davidson (a 50-year member); June Warner; Marilyn Southall; 2nd Row – Helen Burke; Cheryl Drain; Debbie Carson; and Marlene Zogalo. Marilyn Broomer and Vickie Potter are also 50-year members, but were not able to attend the last get together in the Lions Hall on September 18, 2024. Photos: Stittsville Central)

Although founded in 1952, the Stittsville Lions Club received their official Charter on June 3rd, 1964, with members who were dedicated to serving their community. Ten years later and 50 years ago, in September of 1974, the Stittsville Lionettes Club was officially formed with 14 members. The Club was sponsored by the Renfrew Lionettes.

This Stittsville group of women was known for working diligently behind the scenes with fundraising or at the events held by the Stittsville Lions Club, such as our June Jamborees, parades and other events. Four of the original Charter Members have been participating in all of the activities since 1974 – Georgette St. John, Marilyn Broomer, Vickie Potter and Diane Davidson. Although some members have passed away or moved over the years, the Lionettes have become the best of friends over their 50-year history and will remain so.

With a Motto to assist the Stittsville Lions Club to construct the Stittsville Medical Centre and Lions Hall in 1980, the women were instrumental in assisting the Lions with fundraising to ensure that funds were raised to see that the Hall was constructed during the years 1979-80. The Lionettes were a hard-working team as they organized dances, participated in walk-a-thons, held bake sales, and sold tickets for various functions for the fundraising effort. The Stittsville Lionettes were very active in supporting the building project by working on all the fundraising projects and with the event funds they raised, were able to supply the kitchen with dishes, pots and pans, silverware, a stove, and a fridge and a sound system for the new Lions Hall.

The main source of funds for the Lionettes to continue their good community work was their specialty – catering. The women were busy in their kitchens cooking and preparing food for the many catered weddings, birthdays, stag and doe parties, funerals and an assortment of other events taking place in our community. When we were with the Lionettes on the afternoon of September 18th, we were entertained by the many ‘cooking of turkey’ stories they shared.

The Lionettes also helped the community by sending local children to summer camp and helping families in need. They also donated picnic tables to Granite Ridge Long-Term Care when it was constructed. In 2014, they contributed funds to Hospice Care Ottawa to assist with raising funds and awareness for a new residential hospice built in Ottawa’s west end. They could be found decorating the Lions Club floats, back in the day led by June Warner, for the annual Stittsville Parade of Lights and walking alongside collecting food and donations for the Stittsville Food Bank.

In 2013, the Stittsville Lionettes hosted a large event – the Annual Rally – for all Lionettes club members from the area including Stittsville, Arnprior, Quyon, the Pontiac (Campbell’s Bay) and Shawville. With 80 ladies in attendance, the Rally was called ‘Colours of Spring’ and each table was filled with spring flowers. For the Rally, the Lions members prepared the meal, served it and were there to clean-up after the dinner.

In 2016, the Lionettes received new vests to wear at all of their events. At the 2016-17 installation of new officers, outgoing President Georgette St. John stated, “the Lionettes was formed not only to support the Lions Club, but also to have fun.” She shared a fun moment, “at my birthday celebration, all of my fellow Lionettes jokingly wore sunglasses to offset the glow from the many candles on the cake!”.

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the Stittsville Lionettes dissolved their Club. The current Club members were: Georgette St. John (an original member); Cheryl Drain; Debbie Carson; Marilyn Southall; Marlene Zogalo; June Warner; Helen Burke; and, Diane Davidson (an original member). Two other original members were Marilyn Broomer and Vickie Potter who were unable to attend the afternoon social.

The generosity of the Lionettes continued as Helen Burke told us that they had closed their bank account and have made their last donation from the Lionettes. They are donating $900.00 to the Stittsville Food Bank. It was a bittersweet day for the members, but their life-long friendships will continue.

“After concluding 50 years of work with pleasure, the Lionettes have decided to dissolve our Club as of September, 2024. We would like to thank all members of our community for their many years of support,” shared the Lionettes.

While we spent that last afternoon with the Lionettes, we enjoyed hearing the many stories and laughs they shared, knowing that their kindness will continue in some form within our community.