Club’s exit brings windfall for others
Southland organisations and charity groups are to benefit financially from the closure of the Invercargill South Lions Club.
The club closed during winter and soon its money will be split between St John, Ronald McDonald House, guide dog training, Cancer Society, Borland Lodge, Koru Care, the Blind Foundation and glaucoma research.
Club funds recently paid for eight La-Z-Boy chairs for five Invercargill rest homes. A $7000 electric La-Z-Boy chair was bought for Southland Hospital’s surgical ward last year.
Diane Stewart, a past president of the club, said it closed because some of the 17 members were dealing with health issues and most were in their 70s. Fundraising projects requiring strength and flexibility were becoming difficult or not possible.
‘‘It’s best to go out smiling than fade away [to nothing],’’ Stewart said of the decision to close.
Members came from a variety of backgrounds, including an electrician, painter and engineer/ welder.
Some of the many projects done in the club’s 50-year history included cutting down trees for firewood sales, gardening work, operating the club’s candy floss caravan at events, planting trees and voluntary labour to build the Borland Lodge manager’s house.
The last project was selling candy floss at the Kidzone entertainment week in Invercargill in July, with proceeds given to the event organiser and the Southland Girls’ High School Leo Club.
The Invercargill South Lions Club also operated a diabetes trust which funded equipment for Southland Hospital, nurse training and educating the public about diabetes. The trust is now run by the Southern Lions District 202F.
Stewart, who has joined another Lions group, said the closure was the right decision. ‘‘It’s sad but it needed to be done.’’