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The Eugene Downtown Lions Club’s annual Awards and Installation Banquet was held on May 26th at the Shadow Hills Country Club. The evening’s festivities were emceed by Lion Past President Jeff Musgrove who did a superb job of keeping the event moving. He introduced Lion President Judith Grosenick who welcomed everyone and read a letter from a Lion who won our club’s basket at the MD-36 Convention and how he was going to use the $100 in the basket to pay-it-forward to encourage his own club to donate a basket at future conventions and to help someone attend the leadership training, thus showing how unwittingly we can have an impact on others.
Lion Judith began the Awards portion of the evening by thanking three Lions who mentored her during her presidency: Lions Mary Fechtel, Dan French and Ed Gear. Then she presented OLSHF Honor Roll awards to Lion Gino Barbisan and also to Sherry and Floyd Hansen at the May 30th meeting since they were not present at the banquet. OLSHF “Spirit of Service” Awards were presented to Lion Carol Bradford for her tireless work on our roster book, Lion Twila Butler for her many efforts including the Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus, to Lion Mary Fechtel for all of her efforts including taking over the remaining 2-year term of Lion Bob Belmont as Trustee on the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation Board, to Lion Ann Musgrove for her many efforts especially for being the indispensable Mrs. Claus every year for the pancake breakfast, to Lion Annie Harris for her unflinching standing in for Lion Ione Jorgenson as our weekly raffle ticket seller, and to Lion Karen O’Brien Norton for her work with the Delta Ponds project and her stellar work with on the Fundraising and Raffle committees. Lions Andy Bakr, Don Combs, Walt Curtis, Bob Rust and Darlene Thomasec were given OLSHF “Spirit of Service” awards at the May 30th meeting.
 MD-36 Council of Governor’s Chair and Past District Governor Richard Smith dazzled the membership with his remarks which included how he became a Lion.
After his talk, Lion President Judith presented the “Lion Cub of the Year” award to Lion Jan Sohlman.  Lion Judith explained that Lion Jan was being re-cubbed after her return to the club after some time away.
The “Lion of the Year” award went to Lion Karen O’Brien Norton. 
The highest Lion honor, the Melvin Jones Fellowship, was given to Lion Rick Bailey our eyeglass collection chairman. Lion Jane Olbekson received her Melvin Jones Fellowship at the June 6th meeting.
 
The induction of our Directors and Officers was performed by Lion Council Chair and PDG Richard Smith and assisted by his wife PDG Lion Vicki Smith. They gave each of the inductees a piece of a puzzle which they placed on a blank puzzle form that when completed symbolized that it takes us all to make a successful club.
 The Directors are Lions Alice Bender, Mary Fechtel, Jim Mueller and Darlene Thomasec 2011-2013 and Rick Bailey, Gino Barbisan, Bob Rust, and Jan Sohlman 2012-1014.
The Officers are Lions: Jim Newton, President; Wes Reynolds, 1st VP; Karen O’Brien Norton, 2nd VP; Andrew Miles, 3rd VP; Vic Bender, Secretary; Len Calvert, Treasurer; Twila Butler, Tail Twister; Dan French, Lion Tamer; and of course Immediate Past President Judith Grosenick.
Pictured: Lion Tail Twister Twila Butler and
VPs Karen Norton and Wes Reyholds
Lion Judith reminded the members that her term of office was not up yet and that they would have to put up with her for another month. Lions Wes Reynolds and Jim Newton gave Lion Judith a special present of a down vest that had Duck colors and could also represent her “beloved” Green Bay Packers colors.
Following this, Lion President Jim and Immediate Past President Judith gave each other their respective president’s pins. The evening ended with Lion “almost really president” Jim Newton giving a touching address and ended it by saying that even if you are incompetent our club will not let you fail and that he promised to do his best. Good luck to us all for another successful year of service.
10 June 2012
Tim Chuey
Publicity Chairman
Eugene Downtown Lions Club
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The “President” fielded questions from the audience (these were actual questions from the “reporters” who attended the press conference and not scripted). The portrayal was so real that it actually felt like you were listening to Abraham Lincoln come back to life. 
And who better to take charge of the grill than our own Lion Twila Butler.
She did the cooking outside in spite of the rainy October weather. As you can see, the 40 members and guests really enjoyed the food and especially enjoyed the company of their fellow Lions.
