Rick StiebelThe Chronicle
The Town of Ladysmith acknowledged the many contributions to the community by proclaiming this week (Sept. 18 to 25) as Lion’s Club week to mark the organization’s 75th anniversary.
Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone said like all service clubs, you can see concrete evidence everywhere of what the Ladysmith Lions Club has contributed.
“It’s about much more than the facilities you see and the events they put on,” Stone noted. “ What we see is that their members live that life of giving back every single day. The Lions Club are truly something special to this community.”
Jim Masyk, Ladysmith Lion’s Club secretary for the past 16 years, said they are very pleased that Council is recognizing the club’s 75 years of service to the community.
Some of the major projects the club has been involved with include the building of 41 low income housing units for senior citizens, and numerous contributions to local parks and playgrounds.
“The housing project in three phases started when we had only 10 members,” said Masyk, who has been spending time researching the club’s history. “In 1946 and ’48, out of 86 clubs, Ladysmith Lions were recognized with a regional award for its contributions, which is pretty impressive,” he noted. “Our focus has always been on assisting seniors, children and people dealing with health problems.
“As part of Ladysmith Lion’s Club week, we’re dedicating the planting of some ginkgo trees in the arboretum across from City Hall that were planted to replace some ginkgo trees that were destroyed during the construction of upgrades to the highway,” he said.
The Ladysmith Lions Club is also planting two fir trees that were part of an international Lions Club initiative in 2011 to plant a million trees around the world. When the local club received the two seedlings in styrofoam cups five years ago, the Town took over the nurturing because they were too young to plant in the arboretum at the time.
The tree planting ceremony will take place Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. at the arboretum across from City Hall.