Lions District Governor Janssen visits Gonvick

Mike Janssen, the Lions District Governor from Winnipeg, Canada attended the Gonvick Lions meeting recently. He is a member of the East Kildonan Lions Club in Winnipeg, MB.

His goal as district governor is to visit all 64 clubs in the 5M11 area. 19 in Canada and the rest in northwest Minnesota. The territory goes from Selkirk, Manitoba and south to Barnsville, MN.

His message was, “Together we will Climb New Mountains, stand on new peaks, and ascend to new heights. We will honor our association by taking on the challenges of a community and a world that needs us now more than ever. As it has been said before, ‘Many people will wonder if they have made a difference in the world, Lions do not have to wonder, we know that we have made a difference within our communities and globally. We know that we have worked hard and even though we may never be told so, the world appreciates what we have done, and must continue to do this.”

Janssen presented two awards at the meeting. One to Les Watne for 15 years of membership and one to Norman Rude for 25 years of membership. He also gave out various pins to club members.

The Lions club is the largest service organization in the world. (Even in communist China). The main issues are Sight, Hearing, Youth and Community.

 The Gonvick Lions Club has 27 members at this time from the Gonvick and Clearbrook area.

The motto of the club is “We serve”.  Projects they support: summer rec programs, Pine Lake Aerations, economic development, eye glass collection, Trauma Lions, Lions Eye bank and the lions hearing foundation,  fire departments. Snow mobile race support, ditch cleaning, Breakfast on the Farm,  4-H fair and grandstand events, Christmas baskets, food shelf,  medical and death expense money, Halloween haunted house and little kids party, Rydell  handicapped youth hunting and the pumpkin growers.

They raise funds with the Gonvick Lions Rodeo and pull tab gambling at Sportsman’s Lodge on Pine Lake. They received  a very generous gift from the John and Fay Hedin trust fund.

The Lions gave out four scholarships this year. Selection is based on grades, other school activities- athletics, music and drama. 

Being a service organization they also look for service type activities in the students they choose.