Lion honoured for decades of local service
GREATER Geelong’s District Governor for Lions International visited Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads to celebrate one of its longest serving members.
Lee-Ann Anselmo, the District Governor for the Greater Geelong region, attended the club’s meeting last Tuesday to bestow the 35-year Chevron Award to member Brian Mansfield, for his service to the Lions and his Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove community.
Mr Mansfield, who has committed much of his free time to the local Lions Club for more than three decades, said his love of serving the community was the main reason for signing on initially.
“We do all sorts of things from functions to catering, to barbecues and whatever we can to help the area and around town, it’s a terrific way to give back to the places we call home,” Mr Mansfield said.
“The camaraderie of course builds upon that, while members meet every couple weeks or so to catch up and see what is going on.”
Ms Anselmo presented the award to Mr Mansfield last week in front of all his peers, a surprising development in what was supposed to be just a regular meeting according to the Ocean Grove resident.
“I was pretty shocked to receive the award I suppose,” Mr Mansfield said.
“It’s an award you receive after 10 years of service and then every five years after that up until the 75-year mark, and I didn’t think there was any extra significance to the 35-year award, but here we are.”
Lions Club president Alan Daw said Brian has always been “a hard-working fellow” for as long as he has known him, as well as a “leader by action”.
“He is at every barbecue and is always willing to participate in our local activities,” Mr Daw said.
“Our values at the club are essentially that we support the local community and we never put anybody down, we only build them up, and Brian does just that.
“He is a fairly quiet sort of bloke, he just goes about his own business, and he does it well, whatever he does.”