Meetings
Members
Belwood and District Lions Club Directors   2023-2024
1977-2024 Celebrating 46yrs of service to our community
 
Club Officers
 
Position               Name                     
 
President :           Aaron Chase
 
Secretary :           E. George Woodley
 
Treasurer :           Terry Vines
 
Membership :       Julian Vines
 
1st Vice Pres. :     John Maitland
 
2nd Vice Pres. :    Graham Scroggie
 
1 Yr Director:      Kevin Martin
 
2 Yr. Director :     Rob Mercier
 
Lion Tamer :       Gord Hufnagel
 
Tail Twister :       Karen Martin
 
Immediate PP:    Julian Vines     
 
Health & Wellness: Karen Martin
 
MyLion Liaison: Karen Martin
          
Past Presidents of Belwood & District Lions
           
1977 - 1978 Paul Spedaliere  
1978 - 1979 Bob Matheson  
1979 - 1980 Hugh  Saunders  
1980 - 1981 Albert Blom  
1981 - 1982 David Parker  
1982 - 1983 Edward  White  
1983 - 1984 Rendall Bilton  
1984 - 1985 Jim Lindsay  
1985 - 1986 Larry Clark  
1986 - 1987 Hugh Saunders  
1987 - 1988 Gerry Ellen  
1988 - 1989 Wayne Robson  
1989 - 1990 Larry Clark  
1990 - 1991 Herman Lavigne  
1991 - 1992 Elwin May  
1992 - 1993 Albert Blom  
1993 - 1994 Andy Maciukiewicz
1994 - 1995 John Calder  
1995 - 1996 Herman Lavigne  
1996 - 1997 Jamie Couper  
1997 - 1998 Bill Smith  
1998 - 1999 Les Reeves  
1999 - 2000 Bob Hogarth  
2000 - 2001 Wray German  
2001 - 2002 Bill McCaw  
2002 - 2003 Gerry Ellen  
2003 - 2004 Gerry Ellen  
2004 - 2005 Gerry Ellen  
2005 - 2006 Gerry Ellen  
2006 - 2007 Gerry Ellen  
2007 - 2008 Denis Vinette  
2008 - 2009 John Heighington  
2009 - 2010 Bob Lacombe  
2010 - 2011 Parry Frank  
2011 - 2012 Bob McGill  
2012 - 2013 Linda Vinette  
2013 - 2014 Gordon Hufnagel  
2014 - 2015 Robert Vrins  
2015 - 2016 Julian Vines  
2016 - 2017 Julian Vines  
2017 - 2018 Graham Scroggie  
2018 - 2019 Graham Scroggie  
2019 - 2020 Norman Sawchyn  
2020 - 2021 Ron Prior  
2021 - 2022 Ron Prior  
2022 - 2023 Julian Vines  
2023 - 2024 Aaron Chase  
 

Club History

The Belwood and District Lions Club was chartered on May 10th, 1977 by 21 members of the community.
 
List of Charter Members
 
Lion Albert Blom
Lion Jack McPherson
Lion Ernest Brown
Lion Bob Matheson
Lion Neil Gray
Lion Cameron McNeil
Lion Carl Gray
Lion Bob Pyke
Lion George Hambleton         
Lion Garry Pyke
Lion Brian Hutchinson
Lion Louis Risidore
Lion Hans Jense
Lion Doug Robinson           
Lion Percy Jesso
Lion Hugh Saunders
Lion Barry Lindsay
Lion Doug Skinner
Lion Normand Lindsay
Lion Paul Spedaliere
Lion Jim Loree
 
 
 
 
 

The club was sponsored by the Marsville and District Lions Club and has been a vital part of the Belwood community since its inception.

In 2012, Belwood Lions celebrated their 35th anniversary of service and was attended by Charter Members, the Mayor of Centre-Wellington and representatives from many clubs in the area.

In 2017 Belwood Lions celebrated their 40th anniversary, along with 100yrs of Lions International, and Canada 150th.

 

A BIT ABOUT BELWOOD LIONS

 

The Belwood and District Lions Club is celebrating 46 years of service to the Belwood community and beyond this spring (2023) . The club was officially chartered in May of 1977 with a membership of 21. Membership peaked in 1982/83 with 35 members. The present membership is 23 (2023-24).  Belwood Lions is part of Lions International, which has 1.4 mil. members in 180 countries.

 

Belwood Lions members are fiercely committed to the local community.

 

The youth have always been a high priority. The club has sponsored numerous international and Canadian youth exchanges, sports activities and youth groups (such as Scouts Canada). Every February for almost 30 years the club has hosted an elementary level public speaking competition for area school children with the winners advancing to the district competition. The Lions Effective Speaking Competition is Canada’s largest such contest in English and French languages. If your child is in a local elementary school, your child has likely participated in this competition. On the fun side, every October Belwood welcomes the Halloween tradition as we shell out goodies to all unsuspecting children who have the nerve visit us. Each December, the club holds our Breakfast With Santa which attracts many kids & their parents, this has become a very popular annual event. We encourage youth participation in our activities and have many youth who have completed their high school community hours on various Belwood Lions projects.

 

Many “hands on” projects have been accomplished, many in co-operation with the West Garafraxa Council and the Centre Wellington Parks & Recreation Dept. Projects include; Pavilion construction, tree planting and playground equipment in Maple Park; sidewalks and footbridge on Queen & George Sts.; Belwood Hall interior renovations & equipment purchases; installing board & batten exterior siding and curtains on the stage. We also worked with the township for erection of a speed control sign at the south entrance to our village on County Rd #26 to encourage safe traffic flow through our village.
We have built many park benches and picnic tables for locations in the village, and operate our ‘Benches on Trails” program in cooperation with other local Lions groups in the area to sell, build and install benches along Elora-Cataract Trail to encourage healthy activities and provide remembrance for those that purchase the benches. We do an annual roadside cleanup under the Wellington County Adopt-A-Road program covering both County Rd 5/19 and County Rd #26 which pass through our village. We operate a bi-monthly foot clinic to encourage healthy feet.

 

The club has spearheaded emergency fundraising for local issues such as the tornado victims (1985), house fire victims and persons with critical health issues. Belwood Lions has been a longtime supporter of Groves Hospital in Fergus providing new equipment and financial support for the re-development project. The Centre Wellington Sportsplex received support  and Victoria Seniors Centre in Fergus also.

 

Many charities have been supported by Belwood Lions over the years including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Sunrise Equestrian, CNIB, New Life Counseling, Diabetes Canada, Lions Dog Guide Training School in Oakville, eyeglass recycling, Heart & Stroke, Centre Wellington Food Bank etc.

 

For more than two decades, thousands of people (young & old) have found their way to Belwood and area for the annual 2 day Pike Derby in May, one of Belwood Lions longest running fundraisers. Other fundraiser events we have held include a golf tournament, Beef BBQ, Pancake Breakfasts, Community Night,Fish Fry, our Bottle return program and previously our monthly Country Jamboree.

 

Most members join Belwood Lions for a sense of camaraderie and to make friends and become part of one of the largest community service organizations. The members enjoy being together and working together for the betterment of the community. They have fun doing it and their only reward is to have everyone come and enjoy a little “painless extraction” so they can recycle the funds raised into worthwhile projects.

 

We are always happy to invite new community members to volunteer at our activities, or to become one of us as a member of Belwood Lions. Please feel free to ask one of us how you can become involved.

Lions Clubs International News
Connect with Us Online
Twitter