(The Stittsville District Lions Club celebrated 60 years on October 26, 2024. The members of the head table were: special guest Kevin Frost, his wife Loretta and guide dog Woody; District Governor Lion Roxanne Backes; Stittsville Lions President John Chilvers; Stittsville Lions Secretary Heather Chilvers; Councillor Glen Gower; and at the microphone, guest speaker PDG Lion Barry Chisholm a member of the Aylmer Lions Club. Photos: Stittsville Central)
On October 26, 2024 the Stittsville District Lions Club members celebrated 60 years in the community of Stittsville. It all began in 1954 when a small group of Stittsville men would meet over a few beverages in the kitchen of Ivy Martin to plan events and fundraising for the community. For years, many good deeds and help for families took place unofficially. On June 3, 1964, the Stittsville club became an official service club when they received their Charter having been sponsored by the West Ottawa Lions Club. The Charter was officially celebrated on October 19, 1964 at a gala event held at the Ambassador Hall in Westboro.
To receive the Club’s Charter, members of the West Ottawa Lions were in touch with Denny Graham, Roger Lessard, Ernie Moore and Bud Haw to communicate and share the importance of Lionism in the community. These four men were the messengers to convince Stittsville to bring a lions club to our community. They did this through a series of meetings for those interested in learning more and by highlighting that the need existed here. The Charter Members in 1964 were: Jack R. Armstrong, John Black, J. Sid Bradley, Silas C. Bradley, Richard Comrie, Rev. R.S.V. Crossley, Harold Dick, Hari Dilawri, Denzil Graham, Bud Haw, Morley James, Corey Johnson, Roger Lessard, William G. MacDonnell, John Martin, Ted Martin, Elroy McCooeye, Perce McKinley, Wendell McRae, Ernie Moore, J.W. (Red) Murray, John Nicol, Howard Raycroft, William Spearman, Fred Smith, Ray Thomas and R. Trottier.
To mark 60 years as a non-profit voluntary organization in Stittsville, the Lions Club celebrated their 60th Charter Night on October 26, 2024 at the Stittsville District Lions Hall. It was an evening to celebrate and thank the members for all of the incredible volunteer work this one ‘Club’ has accomplished over the years for our community.
The 60th year celebration had Lions members attending from clubs across the area: Aylmer, Orleans, North Grenville, Iroquois, Kemptville, Morrisburg, Quyon, Greely, Russell, Metcalfe, along with Lionettes – Georgette St. John, Diane Davidson, June Warner and Helen Burke. Brenda Miller, who has since moved away and was a long-time secretary for the club also attended.
The evening opened with a masquerade parade around the room with some interesting masks adorning the members. Prizes were presented for best mask. The guest speaker was Past District Governor Lion Barry Chisholm who brought along his sense of humour for the evening. Special guests were District Governor Lion Roxanne Backes presented awards and gave an enlightening speech to those in attendance and Kevin Frost, along with his guide dog Woody, shared his story and thanked the Stittsville club as the first to support him and how they continue to do so. Councillor Gower also commended the members for their hard work over the years and also entertained the crowd playing the piano.
Club History – Throughout the years:
Throughout the years, the Stittsville District Lions Club has been instrumental in the formation of many community facilities – until their own building was constructed, they held their meetings in the basements of the Stittsville United Church and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Their own building was finally constructed in 1979-80 with the knowledge that Stittsville was in need of doctors. For years the Lions chipped away at raising the money in thereabouts of $80,000 to build this facility without any aid from municipal, federal or provincial funds. The Stittsville Medical Centre was to be on the top floor of their new building and a permanent meeting hall on the lower level. The Centre drew the services of Dr. Jim Bell as Stittsville’s new doctor. To this day, medical services are still in place.
Back in the 1960’s, the Club organized and brought our annual June Jamboree to Stittsville. Everyone looked forward to this fun-filled weekend of activity. From fastball games, go-cart races, lots of games at Alexander Grove to a chicken BBQ with our volunteer firefighters cooking the chicken; this weekend was complete. The Lions also organized our annual Winter Carnival at the old outdoor rink behind the current library/food bank location on Main Street. With hockey, broomball, a figure skating show, skating races and dances making up the weekend, there was something for everyone and prizes for all. Grampa (Milton) Scott kept the old pot belly stove full of wood so the fire was always nice and hot in the skate change shack.
In memory of Lion Denzil Graham, who also owned and operated the Goulbourn Bowling Lanes, the Lions installed a scoreboard and new lights at the Alexander Grove ball diamond. The change and snack bar building at Alexander Grove was built by the Lions and named in memory of Lion Ronnie Martin. At the Johnny Leroux Community Centre, look up at the time clock and check out the artificial ice making area – the Lions donated both to the arena including the first Zamboni. For years, their main source of revenue enabling the Club to give back to the community, was operating the refreshment bar at Capital City Raceway. They have also taken many of our local sports teams under their wing providing funds through sponsorship.
The charitable work and fundraising of the Lions and Lionettes is unmatched with involvement in many local and international initiatives. Through Stittsville Lions’ 60 years it is astonishing that they have made donations to, fundraised for and supported the tornado victims of Dunrobin with the provision of food and needed sundries; the flood victims of Constance Bay by sandbagging and providing food to their community centres; Queensway Carleton Hospital, including their cancer clinic; helped to purchase emergency equipment for Carleton Place Hospital; Hospice Care Ottawa; Perley Rideau Veterans Hospital; St. Vincent de Paul Society of Hospice Ottawa; the Heart Institute; Relay for Life; the Cancer Society; Case for a Cure for Diabetes; sold daffodils for cancer; the White Cane campaign; the CNIB Dog Walk-a-Thon; the CNIB’s leader dog program; the annual Blind Anglers International Tournament (B.A.I.T.) enabling visually impaired and blind participants an annual weekend of fish angling on the Ottawa River; $1,000 scholarships to local students going on to post-secondary education; hosted public speaking contests; annual golf tournaments; e-waste recycling events; monthly bottle drives; trivia nights; funding for participants to enjoy a week or more at Camp Banting for those with diabetes, Camp Joseph for blind children; Camp Dorset for those suffering from kidney disease; they continue to collect used eye glasses on behalf of the Kemptville Lions Club who sponsor the sending of eye care professionals and Lions members to South America to ensure that proper vision care is provided and the eye glasses are given to the patients; they sell, calendars, Christmas cookies and fruit cake prior to the holiday season. During the Christmas season, they annually reach out to local businesses and residents for their largest fundraiser with all donations going to one or two of their chosen charitable causes. This year’s fundraiser donations are being collected for the Stittsville Food Bank and the Dave Smith Youth Centre in Carp. Those who donate $100 or more, are recognized with their names on a sign at Village Square Park.
The Lions Club members have installed the Christmas lights at Village Square Park since 1996 when the park first opened. They also light a large pine tree in the park with blue lights every November for Diabetes Awareness Month, along with their signage arch at the Lions Hall. Every year at the Parade of Lights, Lions Club members can be found walking the route collecting both food and cash donations for the Stittsville Food Bank.
This is just an encapsulated history of the events held, charities supported and community mindedness of the Stittsville District Lions Club. Being part of the largest international service organization, with the motto ‘We Serve’, the Stittsville District Lions Club has definitely left their mark and ‘served’ the community of Stittsville and beyond for over 60 years and of which they should be proud.
We congratulate this long-time, volunteer driven Club, and look forward to the next 60 years of the Stittsville District Lions Club being in our community and for all that this organization does.
If you would like to find out more or join the Stittsville District Lions Club, visit their website.
OUR COMMUNITY THANKS YOU AND MAY MANY OF OUR NEWEST NEIGHBOURS CONSIDER JOINING!!