Before the gavel was handed over to the incoming president for the Gainesville Lions Club on June 24, the then-President of the Lions Club, Billy Graham, presented the owner of the Neu Ranch House, Ronnie Neu, a plaque expressing appreciation from the Lions Club for allowing the club to meet at the restaurant weekly for their meetings.
The message from Lion Billy Graham, at that time, was as the old saving goes — “All good things must come to an end” as his term of Lion President was over and the incoming president of the Gainesville Lions Club, Dean Mendenhall, stood before the club membership requesting as Lions we continue to pursue our services in the community by promoting the “Eye Sight Campaign” and other fundraising projects that enables the club to purchase eye glasses for the kids in our schools. Let us continue our misson, says Lions president.
Other members as officers for the club that will be representing the local club and were installed during the annual officers banquet were: Lion Tamer - Paul Jordan; Tail Twister - Merle Currie; One Year Directors - Bob Henderson and Danny Reeves; Two Year Directors - Rev. John Hare and Clem Steubing; Member-at-Large - Lisa Bezner; Lifetime Memberse - Rev. Woody Poore and PDG Billy Graham; Membership Committee - Debbie Russell, Chair, Merle Currie and Lee Kilgore and Immediate Past President - PDG Billy Graham.
Each Wednesday the club has a program from local officials or other organizations in the community to let them how they operate and serve the Cooke County.
Lion member Kanita Maxwell is set to be responsible for the program for the club July 15. It was urged that a good attendance be there to hear the Executive Director Sherry Little of Home Hospice for Grayson, Cooke and Fannin counties. She will be speaking to the membership about the Legacy Program that was implemented for home hospice patients and families.
Lion Wayne Dodson got a good start as the new incoming vice president in securing programs for the club. Recently, the program was given by Cheryl Cash, Executive Director of the Texas Tourist Bureau, where she continue traveling to various parts of Texas with the starting point from Amarillo and coming back home to Gainesville. This was primarily continuing the journey she started in past months and it was a request from club members that she finalize her trip.
Dodson spoke to the club about the goals the Lions would like to see happen and one is to get the membership up and some new fundraising projects that would benefit our mission in the purchase of eyeglasses for the schools. It was reported during the month of June 2009 during the school year the Lions Club did a total of 47 eye exams.
The next project for the Club will be Depot Days scheduled on October 11, 2009.
