The Carlyle and District Lions Club was formed on Nov. 29, 1963, with the sponsorship of the Oxbow District Lions Club.
This year the club celebrates their 50th anniversary and their success in donating over $1 million to various causes. Approximately 80 percent of this is given locally and nearly 20 percent goes to Lions' initiatives such as the Lions Club International Foundation.
With 34 Charter Members including Bill Rowe, George Hunter, Alex Deringer, Ike Rogers, Lloyd Bovee, Elmer Luedtke, Bob Beatty, Fred Schuler, Andy Ritco, Tom Ackerman, O'ray Pontius, Bob Bell, Ron Marriott, Bob Mulvay, Henry Renton, Bob Andrews, Clarence Ludtke, Max Bonkowski, Alex Dodds, Reg Beatty, Claire Dolan, Doug Gingerick, Percy Lanktree, Kon Roesslein, Bill Tennant, Al White, Pete Walker, Avion Leudtlke, Art Wayling, Don Doty, Alex Lycett, Rae Mitchell, Harvey Barsi, and Jack Marshall, the club began successfully.
Since the beginning membership has come and gone with an average of 28 members each year. In 1978 the club saw a high of 44 members and in 2001 they saw a low of 23.
As the club has evolved throughout the years they have given to a number of different initiatives in the area:
Crescent Point Leisure Complex: over $200,000
Lions Park: over $130,000
Carlyle Sports Arena: over $95,000
Curling Rink: over $57,000
Memorial Hall: over $55,000
Carlyle Golf and Country Club: over $35,000
Minor Sports: over $30,000
Fire Department: over $30,000
Museum: over $25,000
Library: over $25,000
Lions Foundation of Canada (includes dog guides): over $23,000
Assorted Charities (until Donors Choice was created): $23,000
Miscellaneous (Remembrance Day wreaths, airport, Dickens Festival, one time donations, etc...): $20,000
Youth Groups (Air Cadets, Playground, Band, Cubs, Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cornerstone Family and Youth, DARE, Firearms Safety, etc...): $18,000
Happy Gang Hall: over $15,000
Lions International: over $13,000
Saskatchewan Eye Bank: nearly $10,000
Diabetes: $8,000
Carlyle History Books: $5,300
Manor Rink: over $5,000
Local disaster relief: $3,500
Many of the projects that the Lions have helped with are approximate figures because in addition to monetary amounts allocated the Lions have given building materials and time to help establish different areas in town.
Lions Park
Lions Park, previously designated the sports area, has been and will continue to be one of their major projects. They would propose to the town, upon the Lions' inauguration, that they could look after this area if given complete control. The town agreed to the arrangement, which saw the Lions hard at work in the spring of 1965 levelling the sports area.
In 1966/67 the Lions would have to completely re-establish the Sports Area because the old one was acquired for the new highway. Given a piece of land south of the town, the Lions quickly went to work levelling and clearing grass, putting up a back-stop, and ensuring there was a place for people to enjoy summer sports.
Since then the area has grown with the help of the ball teams in the area.
There has also been multiple food booths built over the years following previous ones becoming run down, while new washrooms have recently been built as well.
Boogie Fest took initiative in establishing the big pavilion now used by many, though the Lions saw the benefits of this structure and put forth money towards it.
Over the years the Lions have been happy to see the area is enjoyed. With the archery club having used it for practices, skeet shooting club, baseball, softball, and more, it has become an integral area for the community.
In addition to establishing and running Lions Park, it has also become a source of revenue for the Lions to put towards projects. Following grants given in 1980 for Celebrate Saskatchewan, the campsites were put in. Over the years the sites have grown to 15 and are now all fully serviced. With the oil industry having boomed in the past decade, it now earns nearly $20,000 a year, which is a large change from the $2,000 to $3,000 it had previously been raising.
The majority of this has been put into the local swimming pool, which used to collect directly from the campers; but, with changing demographics and a large increase in revenue the Lions decided they would take over to ensure as many organizations could benefit from the campsites as possible with such an increase while ensuring funds to the swimming pool continued as well.
Lions Pride Estates
In 1999 an idea was developed by the Lions regarding senior housing and the establishment of a Life Lease Program in Carlyle. Essentially the program refers to a tenancy agreement combining rights and responsibilities of owning a home coupled with a landlord-tenant agreement.
Initially the Lions found 15 interested individuals. A committee was formed involving Erik Steffensen, Frank Faber, Keith Walker, Leo Grossman, and Gord Paulley who met with a condominium company wanting a non-profit organization to act as managers. Following the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC's) approval, construction would hopefully begin in August of 1999.
The Lions went on to obtain a building permit from the Town of Carlyle and was able to begin preparations for construction on Oct. 4, 1999. In April of 2000 the units were cleaned and an Open House held for three days with approximately 50 people attending each day. The Lions Pride Estates were a success.
Lions International Conference
One of the highlights over the Lions 50 years of existence includes the attendance of Jack and Alixe Marshall, Alex and Jean Dodds, O'Ray and Muriel Pontius, Gordon and Sharon Kish, Bruce and Sharon Cameron, as well as Murray and Caroline Clark to the Lions' International Convention. Held in Tokyo, Japan during the summer of 1969, the convention was exciting for the six couples to attend.
Held at the Science Centre Building the convention began with a large parade and the couples all found the Japanese to be friendly by nature, as was explained in the Carlyle History Book. Meeting people from around the world, all with similar mandates, was beneficial to the Carlyle Lions who attended.
Lions Foundation of Canada
The Carlyle Lions Club has donated more than $23,000, towards the Lions Foundation of Canada throughout the years. This foundation focuses on guide dogs for individuals who could benefit from them and this national foundation has in turn brought help to people in the local area.
This includes individuals such as Alicia Robinson, who, in 2012, received her dog, Elf, partially through donations from the Lions Club and other local donors. Elf is trained to alert people of an ongoing seizure, is trained to move dangerous objects from Robinson during a seizure, and is trained to help awaken her following a seizure.
Dogs such as Elf are trained specifically for seizure response and the Lions Club is one of the only organizations currently providing them. Some guide dogs in this role even develop the ability to sense an oncoming seizure.
Overall the Lion's Foundation trains guide dogs focusing on vision, hearing, special skills, seizure response, and autism assistance.
Into the future
Through 50 years the Carlyle and District Lions Club has been an essential part of the community. Making a difference in many people's lives they will continue to work hard in maximizing the successes of the community.
It has endured for half of a century and members are eager to see what the future holds as they assist Carlyle and surrounding area.
Always looking for new members, the Lions welcome all and will remain an integral part in the community, as they provide a way for the community to come together and reach success.
