Donal O'Shea, president, Castlebar Lions Club, presenting a cheque to Donal Geraghty, Castlebar First Responders, towards funding costs of a defibrillator. Also pictured is Danny Moran, secretary, Castlebar Lions Club.

Women wanted for Lions!

DON’T be alarmed by the headline.

It's just that Castlebar Lions Club are recruiting new members and they especially would like to see some ladies joining their ranks.

Next year the Lions in Castlebar will celebrate their 40th anniversary. And in all those years there has never been a female member.

President Donal O’Shea wants to see that changed. “We are recruiting new members and in particular we would like to see women signing up,” he said.

It is often perceived that Lions is a men-only club and Donal is keen to see that myth ended now.

Other Lions clubs in the county, he points out, have very strong female membership and the district governor of Lions Club Ireland is a lady, Marion Connelly, who recently visited Castlebar.

Castlebar Lions Club was formed in 1977 and next year will celebrate 40 years of dedicated service to the community within the greater Castlebar area. There are currently 35 members in the club who are active in both fundraising and services.

The Lions are a non-profitable voluntary organisation where every euro goes directly to the charity or service for which it has been raised.

The members of Castlebar Lions Club are ordinary people from the community who come together to improve the quality of life for people who find themselves in a less fortunate situation than themselves.

Last year the Lions collected €4,000 worth of food parcels for the SVDP and recently presented a cheque for €3,000 to the organisation. Other recipients have been the Rape Crisis Centre, Castlebar Community First Responders, social services and the Make a Wish Foundation.

“Our club gives members an opportunity to advance worthy causes, serve with friends, and become leaders in the community. This club means a lot to our Lions, but it means so much more to the people we serve,” said Donal, encouraging the public to come out and learn more about the club’s work.

The club meet once a month and will be hosting an information session in August for people who want to learn more about the club and its work.

The Lions’ motto is ‘We Serve’, and the Castlebar club has lived up to it, supporting local charities in fundraising, old folks trips way, Christmas parties, recycling spectacles, annual respite holiday project, suicide prevention, Christmas food appeal, message in a bottle, diabetic screening, LCIF Foundation, the list goes on.

 

To find out more, contact Donal O’Shea at (087) 9004128 or domar2801@gmail.com or secretary Danny Moran, Market Square - email dmoran@anu.ie.