Bateman Lions Club honours Roland Hook

Four members of the Bateman Lions Club attended the March 24 meeting of the Early Bird Lions Club, held at Timothy Eaton Gardens. President Paul Marcil presided.
Following opening formalities, Bill Costly of Bateman announced his club attended the meeting to retrieve its gavel that had come into the possession of the Early Bird Lions Club.
Bateman members were also in attendance to announce their intention to visit Extendicare to present Roland Hook with a life membership and extended an invitation for Moose Jaw members to attend. Several local club members came to the city from Gravelbourg and the Prairie Pride Lions Clubs and have known Hook for many years.
Hook was a charter member of the Bateman Lions Club and was the first president when the club received its charter Dec. 9, 1978. He was also president in 1979. was an active member and a leader of many projects for the Lions Club and for other community activities.
In addition to maintaining perfect attendance since the club was charted, he received the Brian Stevenson fellowship and many other awards throughout the years. Hook is 93, and he and his wife both reside at Extendicare.
Wayne McGregor advised the installation of Early Bird Club officers and awards meeting will be April 12. Two new members will be inducted. Spouses, friends and other clubs have been invited to attend.
Harvey Roy provided an update on the duck derby, noting several sponsors have committed their support and he is canvassing for more.
A request for support was received from Festival of Words and members approved a donation for a scholarship.
Volunteers were solicited to work April 7-12 to sell CNIB car raffle tickets at the mall.
McGregor read portions of a news release from Lions International explaining the largest single donation the organization ever received came from Moorfields Eye Hospital Foundation Trust and is to be used to build and support an eye hospital in Ghana.
The $4 million was received in early March from Moorfields, an international centre for the treatment of eye disease and a leader in vision care, research and training.
Lions International Foundation has a goal to raise $200 million for its SightFirst program. Close to $150 million has already been raised.
Lions International is the charitable arm of Lions Club International which has 1.3 million members in 202 geographic areas and countries.
Established in 1968, LCIF has been involved with blindness prevention and treatment projects for more than 15 years through the SightFirst program.