History
The Thamesford Lions Club was Chartered on April 20, 1961
The following information records major events by year.
1960 First meeting held to discuss starting the “Thamesford Lions’ Club”
1961 Started door-to-door canvassing for “Canadian Cancer Society”
The “GOAT” was taken to London Central Lion’s Club meeting
at the “Hotel London”
“First Charter Night” at Ingersoll Community Center
Seating stands for the north ballpark were erected
1962 Refreshment booth and storage area at north ballpark built
1964 Installed playground equipment at north ballpark
1966 Lion’s began sponsoring local “Majorette Corp.”
1967 Lion’s started annual canvassing for “Canadian National Institute for
the Blind”
1969 Additional playground equipment installed at north ballpark
1971 Additional bleachers added to north ballpark
1972 Name change for annual “Pigskin Party” to “Ham Hassle”
Lion’s become investors in “Park land” at South Park
Paul Golding was elected Zone Chair
1973 Lion’s Club donates $1000 towards village swimming pool
Lion’s Club provides manpower for umpires for local ball league
Thamesford Lion’s Club designs first “Pin”
Newest member introduced “Tom Turkey”
1974 The Thamesford Lions borrowed $25,000.00 for the construction
of the Thamesford Arena, Loan paid off by 1977
Paid for fencing at the Lion’s park
1975 Youth Exchange Program started
Lion’s purchased an ice resurfacer
Lion’s donate 300 chairs, and 30 tables to Community Center
Club helped financially, and with labor, to install washrooms at the
north park
1977 Paid for a One Meter Olympic diving board and stand
1978 Club to borrow $25,000 to cover costs of renovations at
the Community hall: new bulk head, ceiling and finished walls, &
Duct work for ventilation
1979 George Teather elected A 15 District Governor
Sponsored Brenda Dinner in Youth Exchange program to England
Helped move Senior Citizens into the New Green Manor Building
Purchased mechanical jaws ($10,000) for fire department
Installed new ball screen @ Lion’s South Park
1980 Purchased a new T. V. Antenna for Green Manor Building
$1100.00
Thamesford Lions Club was incorporated.
1981 Purchased new Life Jackets & Equipment for the swimming Pool
New program to collect used Eye Glasses for International Program
Purchased New Zamboni for Arena
Kristi Coleman sponsored to Banff School of Fine Arts
New Lights installed at Recreation Hall
The First Annual Trout Brunch held on Cali weekend.
1982 Presented Dr. Kosmal with “Outstanding Service” plaque
Supported the Lions Majorettes to purchase Jackets
Purchased and assembled Bleachers for the Soccer field
Our Membership & Welfare committee was formed
Bob Forbes & Jerry Pelton would be supplying Trout for our
Cali brunch
Committed to help build a new soccer field south of Arena
Sponsored and received the winners Trophy of our NBC hockey
tournament
1983 Cave Men float entered in Cali. Parade
Wayne Greztky fund raiser night
Purchased bleachers, bicycle rack for soccer field
Purchased and installed Guard rails on Seldon Street by Lions Park
1984 Sponsored Lisa Johnston in youth exchange to New Zealand
Sponsored Randy Sageman for trip to Los Angeles Olympics
Installed a solar heating system for swimming pool
Participated in Steve Fonyo Run across Canada
Received set of International Flags from Lisa, Ralph & Shirley
Johnston
1985 Sponsored Lisa Rodenburg in youth exchange to Holland
Child Find fingerprint and identification program started in Schools
Appreciation Night for Harvey Beaty
Purchased two-seater bike for Cancer ride
1986 Installed new sound system in Community centre
Fishing Derby at Jim Alderson’s gravel pit
Donation to Brian & Mike Kerr for Commonwealth games in
Scotland
Reception for Rick Hanson “Man in Motion” wheelchair across
Canada
1987 Built Pirate ship float for Cali parade
Participated in Olympic torch run through Thamesford
Planted trees in South park
Motion Passed to clean up River land South & East of River bridge
1988 Sponsored Teresa Burnett in youth exchange to Japan
Sponsored Kristin Taylor in youth exchange to Holland
Larry Taylor presents plan for River project
Participated in Drug Awareness program for our School’s
Wood cutting Bee at Don Weir’s bush for Fund raising
1989 Work party at River to start our Lions River Park clean-up project
Visit Uplands Pheasantry farm, He gets all our Christmas trees
Sponsored Paula Cowan, Julie McLeod & Christina Wright in our
youth exchange program
Purchased a Camera for the Lions club
Assumed responsibility of Loaning Medical equipment from
the Oddfellows Lodge.
Supported Catherine Hallard at Skating competition in Europe
1990 $1000.00 to Woodstock Lions Club to purchase Van for Child
& Youth Services
$2000.00 for Family, Children Services of Oxford County
Building Project
Acquired ownership of Medical Equipment from Thamesford
Odd fellows Lodge
1991 Monthly Bingos were our largest Fundraisers
1992 Financial support to Ingersoll for purchase of an Ambulance
Sponsored Patti Capling, youth exchange to Belgium
& Catherine Pollock to Australia
1993 Purchased & named two Swans, Salt & Pepper
1993 River Boat Float best in M.D.A. Kitchener Parade,
1993 Sponsored Lisa Young,youth exchange to Finland, & Lynn Knox
to Sweden
Purchased fencing for Lions South Park
Made a $ 8000.00 Commitment over Four years to Lions Clubs
International
Foundation Sight First Program
Purchased a T V for dialysis patients at Victoria Hospital
Purchased Zamboni for Arena ,1994
1994 Sponsored Brad House, youth exchange to Sweden
Sponsored Jennifer Martin, youth exchange to Australia
Sponsored Christine Broadfoot, youth exchange to Switzerland
Adopted Road Side Cleanup Project from our District A 15
1995 Moved Bill & Georgiena Kerr into Thamesford
Sponsored Kerry Van Loon & David Capling youth exchange
to Italy
Our Lions Club 2nd District Governor--- Larry Taylor 95/96
1996 Sponsored Mike Knox in youth exchange to Austria
Purchased through Jerry Pelton and work done by Beal High
School a 1974 Toyota for use in all our Lions Club Parades
Purchased Play Ground Equipment for Thamesford Public School
- $2000.00
1997 Sponsored Erin Ball, youth exchange to Australia
Sponsored Adrian Baker, youth exchange to Norway
Sponsored Michael Glover, youth exchange to Hungary
1998 Supplied Manpower & Money for relief of Oxford County Tornado
Held our Lions Club Bike Tour
Sponsored Neil Tuttle, youth exchange to Norway
Sponsored Jill Payne, youth exchange Australia
Financially supported the Thamesford Legion in there renovation
work
1999 Built Gazebo for Green Manor Centre on Brock street
Sponsored Patricia Healy, youth exchange to England
2000 New uniforms purchased for TPS Jr. Girls basketball team
Hillary Brown – youth exchange to Belgium
2001 Jesse’s Journey visits Thamesford- $ 500 donation
Trust account is closed and $ 40,000 paid to library; $10 000 more
over 2 years
Kate Lockhart- youth exchange to Ireland
2002 Grand opening of new Thamesford Library- Nov. 23, 2002
Lions club assumed responsibility for running Great Ride
for Cancer
Charlie “Spiffy” Clipperton awarded Bob McFarlan Memorial
Trophy for receiving $2200 in pledges
Lions Den name approved for meeting room in new library
2003 Participated in Great Canadian Expo in Woodstock
Became the Sponsor of the Thamesford Scouting groups
2004 Donation of $2000 made to Canadian Red Cross for tsunami
disaster relief
Miranda Payne- youth exchange to Hawaii; Ryan Moore- youth
exchange to Japan
2005 Pledge of $ 10 000 to Lions Sight First II program over five years.
Supported Children’s Healing Garden in London at LHSC
Jack Broadfoot was elected as Zone Chair of 37 South
Special project fund for future major projects established
Lions members tour elk farm- J.McFarlan
2006 Detailed, extensive research into viability of purchase of
Thamesford mill property; vote to offer a tender rejected
in March, 2007
4 new members inducted, including the first two female members
of the Thamesford Lions Club, Diana Clark & Judy Meldrum
Design for space shuttle float presented in April, ‘07
First walkway completed in South Park in November,’07
Lindsay Thornton- youth exchange to Austria;
Hillary Warwick- youth exchange to Australia
2007 Oxford Library Board considers Lions’ Gazebo plans & built in 2009
Lion Harald Rosenfeld prepares a DVD re Lions activities
Lion Jim Keron prepares the Thamesford Lions website
Lion Bob Fisher oversees soccer goal post construction
Lion Jack Broadfoot was elected Region 37 Chair
2008 Second walkway completed in South Park
Sponsored Heather Bell in Youth exchange to Austria
Sponsored Katelyn Koots in Youth exchange to Colorado, USA
Financially supported the start up of the Block Parent program
2010 -We installed Paul Wein as our 50th Lions Club President
-Donation of $10,000.00 for procurement of a Doctor
-Started our Monthly Bingo’s at the Library
-Plans were made to build a new walk way from River Bridge
to the Dam
2015
Sakura House Generator Project. This project, completed in 2015, involved coordinating clubs from across Oxford County to fund the installation of a generator with enough power to run Sakura House in the invent of a major power outage. Sakura House is a palliative care unit located east of Woodstock Ontario. Their back up plan in the event of a power outage was to move the patients to the local hospital disrupting their lives considerably. We recently received a thankyou note from Sakura House where the generator functioned seemlessly when a power outage of several hours occurred. Total raised was in excess of $100,000 which funded the generator install and provided a trust fund for ongoing maintenance. WE SERVE!
https://flickr.com/photos/thamesfordlionsclub/52717466696/in/album-72177720306235500/
2015
Dr. Kosmal Park - This is the newest park project of the Thamesford Lions Club and is located beside the river north of Highway 2. We recently planted a row of trees to block the view of the wetlands further north so as to improve the appearance of the village when entering from the east. We recently constructed a bridge over a storm drain and a trail will be built from the bridge along the river to the Grace Patterson Park.
Lions constructing the bridge for the new walkway
Lions River Park
This park runs along the east bank of the river south of Highway 2 and the dam and has a walkway paralleling the river. This park is used for Weinerfest in June and other events.
Entrance to the Lions River Park
South Park
This park is located of Seldon St on the south side of the village. It contains a ball field, a play area and has a trail running through it maintained by the Lions.
Lions constructing the South Park Walkway
Grace Patterson Park
This park runs along the west bank of the river north of the fire hall. There is a pavilion that is frequently used as a rest spot by travelers. Thamesford Lions are involved in the clean up along the river bank.
North Park
This park is located at George and McCarty Streets on the north side of the village. There is a large ball diamond used for both recreational and competitive teams and another small one used for house league games.
Thanks to Joe & Ellen Wallace, Don & Linda Knox, Gord Pike, Jack Broadfoot for compiling this Thamesford Lions Club History.
