Lions’ mini golf success on display for world leader
In three years’ time, Mark Lyon will be leading the world’s largest volunteer service organisation, Lions International, with a team of 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries.
This week, 3rd vice-president Lyon was in Palmerston North playing mini golf.
A volunteer himself, Lyon’s role involves quite a lot of travel around the world as an ambassador, which the service organisation pays for.
Recently retired, Lyon said it was an honour to meet members of clubs that were united in the same mission of humanitarian service, but practising in different ways wherever he went.
For instance, the Lion from Connecticut said he was not aware of any United States clubs building and running mini golf courses.
In New Zealand, it was one of the things Lions were best known for.
The Middle Districts Lions Club’s course at Victoria Esplanade was opened in October 2022, and since then, more than 45,000 people had played a round.
Along with the sales of Christmas cakes, the proceeds from mini golf had enabled the club to distribute $100,000 in 2023.
It had also been running a business house mini golf tournament that would raise $5000 for the Palmerston North Hospital Foundation for the $680,000 Children’s ED.
Every dollar raised by Lions clubs went back to their communities, with membership fees paying for any administration in between.
Also while in Palmerston North, Lyon visited Ross Intermediate School to meet a local Leos Club.
And before he left, he visited the city’s newly-chartered club of Clearview Park, based at the Julia Wallace Retirement Village.
Lyon was to present the club with their charter, and District Governor Tobi Hipp presented their lectern.
Club president Rhys Davies said it was a privilege to have such a senior member of Lions International present to celebrate the club’s formation.