We welcomed guests, representing Camp Quality, Kylea Tink, representing Big 4 West Beach Parks, Narelle Hollis, Lions District C1 District Governor Kevin Masters, Federal Member for Hindmarsh Mark Butler, State Member for Colton Matt Cowley OAM, members of some of the contributing Lions clubs across District C1 and C2 and also some of the families who will get the use this facility.
This brand new caravan and annexe was a project 5 years in the making.
Our club was originally requested if we could assist in giving the existing caravan and annexe at West Beach Parks a spruce up and assisting in minor repairs.
The club agreed and in 2014 we undertook an intensive clean-up of the external and internal of the caravan and annexe.
I raised the idea of West Beach Lions undertaking the replacement of this setup as a local project. Whilst the idea did not look possible for a club with less than 15 members, we explored the possible solutions to updating the facility.
Funding options were explored and West Beach Lions members agreed to go ahead with this ambitious project. During 2018, with the agreement of then District Governor for C1 Phil Bowman and DG for C2 David Snook, an approach for donations was made to the 55 Lions clubs in District C1 and the 55 Lions club in District C2. These Clubs covering South Australia, Northern Territory and part of Victoria. Some 25 Lions Clubs, one Community Club (Crystal Brook) and also Australian Lions Foundation Ltd contributed to the project.
This project is one of, if not the largest undertaken by our club. The package as presented today is valued at just over $72,500 which includes over 200 hours of voluntary assistance by our members in getting this facility ready.
I would personally like to thank all the members of West Beach Lions Club, those Lions clubs that contributed, Australian Lions Foundation, West Beach Parks and also Camp Quality for partnering on this ambitious project.
Zig Osis
President West Beach Lions Club
Zone 3 Chair