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With a third of its membership over 80 and the youngest member in her mid-30s, the plight of the Eaglehawk Lions Club lends plenty of credence to the findings.<\/p>\n
“The members who are here have basically been brought up helping people all their life,” Mr Miller said.<\/p>\n
“They might start off in the Scouts or Guides and then they join a club.”<\/p>\n
For many of them, they are following in a family member’s footsteps.<\/p>\n
Mr Miller pointed to the club’s decades-long proud record of service to the community and pondered who, if anyone, would fill the breech.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the Lions have donated funds towards the Eaglehawk Mulga Bill Playspace, including the Where Angels Play Zayden’s Memorial Playground and $11,000 to Bendigo Health for two oral maxillofacial sets for the hospital’s surgical theatres, among a swag of other projects.<\/p>\n
Used for surgical procedures related to the face, jaws and mouth, the specialised equipment supports Bendigo Health’s elective list and emergency cases.<\/p>\n
“The contribution from Lions plays a vital role in enhancing surgical care and improving outcomes for our patients,” a statement from the Bendigo Health Foundation said.<\/p>\n
“We deeply appreciate your commitment to our community’s health and wellbeing.”<\/p>\n
Just as much a staple of the annual Eaglehawk Community Christmas Carols as Santa Claus himself, the Lions cook up to 1000 sausages on the night.<\/p>\n
Key fundraising initiatives include Bunnings sausage sizzles and the popular Lions Christmas cakes.<\/p>\n
“We’d do a lot more if we had more people,” Mr Miller said.<\/p>\n
“You wonder what’s going to happen if Lions isn’t doing it.<\/p>\n
“If it weren’t for us, the hospital wouldn’t have that equipment to push more patients through.<\/p>\n
“I understand procedures went up 30 per cent on that type of operation once we gave them the gear.<\/p>\n
“So if it’s not us, everyone misses out.<\/p>\n
“They have to wait for a government grant.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A PILLAR of strength and support in the community for the last 50 years, Eaglehawk Lions Club is in danger of folding due to a decline in members. After years of bouncing between 10 and 12 members, that number has dropped to only nine. While by no means a new phenomenon, with service clubs across […]<\/p>\n