Club celebrates milestones

Horsham’s Miranda Rose believes joining a service club is a great way to give back to the community while also learning and growing from others.

Ms Rose, 19, was inducted into Horsham Lions Club at a meeting last week.

Her joining coincided with the club celebrating long-standing member Stan Penny, who was awarded for his 50 years of service.

Ms Rose is one of the youngest members of the club.

She said she joined because the club had a great reputation for raising money for ‘worthy causes’, presenting a prime opportunity to directly help her community.

“Lions are big contributors to causes on a global scale,” she said.

“A service club will likely give me more of an opportunity to give back to the community.”

Ms Rose is in her second year of studying agribusiness at Longerenong College.

She said the service club would likely help her network with other members who had an interest in agriculture.

“They provide networking opportunities that a lot people my age might dismiss,” she said. “There’s a plethora of people throughout each group and some of their knowledge is so valuable.”

Ms Rose said she hoped her involvement would encourage her friends to join.

“The majority of members are aged 50 and older, some are up to 80,” she said.

“I’m hoping to get some of my friends, my age, to see some of the benefits of such clubs.

“In 20 years’ time, a lot of these people might not be around to serve in some of these clubs.”

Mr Penny said the club’s ability to help the community through its various fundraising efforts and projects was a key reason why he stayed for 50 years and counting.

“I’ve been in it for so long, it feels like you’re part of a family, you might say,” he said.

“My first years I’ve got to admit, seeing members get their service awards over the years, I thought to myself, ‘I’ll never last that long’. But you get so involved. At my age now, I’m starting to think I can’t do as much as I used to, but I still enjoy being a member.”