Photo: West Elmore Lions Club officers: Front row (L-R) Kathy Kelley, Sue Morris and Carol Bowman. Upper row: (L-R) John Collier, Art Faulkner and Larry Liveoak.
Elmore Autauga News
“We serve.” That’s the Lions Club International motto.
The West Elmore County and Millbrook area will now benefit from community minded volunteers of the highly regarded organization. The Lions Club mission is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
Thursday afternoon at the Millbrook Civic Center the West Elmore Lions Club was chartered. The Lions Clubs of Prattville and Wetumpka sponsored the new local chapter.
Charter Officers of West Elmore Lions Club are:
President – Art Faulkner
First Vice President – John Collier
Secretary/Treasurer – Kathy Kelley
LCIF Coordinator – Carol Bowman
Membership Chair – Sue Morris
Director – Larry Liveoak
In addition to the charter officers, the following are charter members: Cecilia Allen, Ernest Baggett, Danny Bamberg, Dwight Cauthen, Rae Ann Collier, Brenda Dockery, Shana Faulkner, Annette Funderburk, Harris Garner, William Griswold, Myra Guca, Desirae Lewis, Steve Mattingley, Garner Mills, Lara Morris, Nancy Oates, Brent Sangster, Gary Weaver and Margaret White. Lions Clubs International requires a minimum of 20 members to charter a Lions club.
The following local dignitaries were present and gave remarks: Mayor Al Kelley (Millbrook); Mayor Margaret White (Elmore); Elmore County Commissioner Bart Mercer (District 4).
The following Lions Club dignitaries were present: Guest speaker -Lowell Bonds (Past International Director); Bubba Bingham (District Governor), PDG Barry Elliot (Past District Governor); Robert Thompson (District Governor Elect); Brenda Elliott (Second Vice District Governor).
Art Faulkner, the club’s first president, said he was drawn to the Lions Club after an experience several years ago. Faulkner was viewing television one night and a story about the Lions Club came on. The Lions mobile truck was in Selma providing eye exams. An elderly lady was interviewed after her eye exam.
“This was the first time I had an eye exam my whole life. I never could get one and couldn’t afford it,” the lady said. What the Lions Club did for that lady touched Faulkner.
“I knew right then that the Lions Club was doing something important, something desperately needed and improving lives. I’ll never forget how I was struck by that,” Faulkner said.
While the Lions are best known for its effort to improve vision, the club has other areas of focus, such as diabetes, hunger, environment, and childhood cancer.
The Lions Club celebrated its 100th birthday in 2017.
