Christmas Wonderland wins top Lion’s award
TOOWOOMBA’S Christmas Wonderland has been awarded a Lions Club Service Award at the recent Lions Clubs International District Convention held in Brisbane.
The award recognises and acknowledges the innovative way the Lions Club of Toowoomba West was able to bring the joy of Christmas to the community during the Covid-19 Pandemic in December 2020.
Once the Lions Club decided to cancel the traditional Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland in Queens Park, it was decided to explore ways of bringing Christmas to the regions’ communities.
Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland Reimagined was the project that came from those discussions.
Working with the Toowoomba Regional Council, Toowoomba and Oakey Chambers of Commerce, Grand Central Shopping Centre, Crows Nest and Yarraman Historical Villages, Lions Club of Cecil Plains and a number of local Toowoomba businesses, Christmas light displays were set up throughout the city of Toowoomba, Highfields, Crows Nest, Yarraman, Goombungee, Oakey, Cecil Plains and Millmerran.
The light displays were turned on in early December with the last of the displays turned off in early January.
Past district governor Lion David Orton presented the award.
“Since the pandemic, we have experienced many interruptions or roadblocks preventing Lions clubs from running their regular projects,” Mr Orton said.
“Instead of postponing Christmas Wonderland the club changed plans and took the lights to the city and the regional centres.
“The approach taken by the Lions Club of Toowoomba West clearly demonstrated the innovation and planning flexibility necessary at this time.”
Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland will return to Queens Park in December this year from Saturday, December 4 to Christmas Eve.
For further information or if you wish to register as a volunteer, visit the website at www.christmaswonderland.con.au.