Marmion appointed new Lions president

THE Lions Club of Barwon Heads Ocean Grove’s incoming president says it is a huge honour to take on the role following the club’s annual handover meeting.

Lions club member Bob Marmion has taken over the role of president from outgoing president Alan Daw, a role he has aspired to take on for multiple years.

Mr Marmion, who is based in Ocean Grove, told the Bellarine Times he is extremely privileged to continue the work of previous presidents, after the annual handover meeting held on June 18.

“The presidency is something I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while, so when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it,” Mr Marmion said.

“We joke around by calling Alan, The Elder Statesman, because he is a huge support to everyone at the club and he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, so it will be nice to learn the ropes of the position alongside him.”

Mr Marmion has been with the Lions for 11 years, deciding it was time to give back to the community in 2013.

The Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads has remained steady in membership with 23 lions filling the ranks, but there is room to welcome new members.

“The work we do is centred around giving back to the community, we put in a lot to the Lions national and international programs through welfare and aid, but most of our focus goes towards helping local people,” Mr Marmion said.

“We held our planning sessions earlier this week as well to determine how we can continue our partnerships.

“Our partnership with genU where we help provide housing to people living with disabilities and our partnerships with local schools as well is a major focus for us, so we look forward to continue that into the future.”

As part of the handover meeting, Mr Daw awarded members Neil Rankcom and Lyn Jenkins for their exceptional service, before summarising the club’s accomplishments for the year.

Anyone wishing to join the Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads, can do so by going to the club’s website or by contacting Mr Marmion on 0408 326 311.