Big Lions Convention

“It’s a great honour for Yarrawonga Lions to host the 2019 convention and set the scene for members for the next year,” local convention planning chairman Doug Wilson told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.

“We’ve had tremendous support from local businesses. Over 40 businesses in the community have supported us financially or in-kind.

“It’s wonderful sponsorship from ClubMulwala which is a great venue for us.”   

The Lions Club of Yarrawonga, which has 28 members, last hosted a district conference in 1993.

District 201 V6 covers a vast area of northern Victoria and southern NSW including Albury, Balranald, Benalla, Cohuna, Corowa, Deniliquin, Finley, Echuca, Kerang, Lockhart, Moyhu, Tocumwal, Tungamah, Cobram/Barooga, Wangaratta and Wodonga.

Each year the various Lions Districts hold a convention to celebrate the achievements of the year, to bring Lions together to share the progress of their projects and to exchange ideas for future community missions.

Inducted in July, the new District Governor Omeni Ndlova of Nathalia, formerly of Zimbabwe, will attend the big convention.

An informal dinner at ClubMulwala on Friday will start proceedings. A special breakfast will be held in the Lions Pavilion on Saturday morning with guest speakers, Olympian athlete James Willett and Tim Irvine from the Lions Global Action Team.

Breakout sessions in ClubMulwala’s Anzac Lounge will follow, regarding Australian Hearing Dogs, Women in Lions and Spinal Cord Research. A formal dinner dance and a major auction will wind up Saturday.

A memorial service will be conducted on Sunday morning in respect of 24 district Lions who have passed away in the past 12 months.

Presentation of junior public speaking winners, guest speaker David Horne from Lions Hearing Dogs Program and a multi-district convention presentation form part of Sunday’s program.

Host club for 2020, Wodonga will make a presentation on the final day.