Smile! Your’re On The Vision Camera!

You never know when you’re going to be “flashed” by the Vision’s roving reporters. Just ask MCTV’s Melissa Durrell, who is shown here doing double duty as a camera person and reporter as she covered the Community Forum put on by the Regional Police Board recently at the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre. There was a time when the MCTV news team consisted of both a camera operator and a reporter, but on this evening Melissa is to be commended for her perseverance as she very skilfully set up the equipment, focussed on the speakers and took notes in order to be able to do a late night report for the 11:30 news cast. Let the rest of our readers heed the warning that some day soon you too may be surprised when you hear the familiar words, “Smile! You're on The Vision Camera!”

If You See A Lion At Your Back Door Help Raise The Roof

The “Raise The Roof Campaign” is now under way as members of the Valley East Lion’s Club go door-to-door in the community seeking donations to help raise the remainder of the $25,000 needed to pay their share of the insurance deductible on their former Lion’s Den, destroyed by snow on the roof this past spring.

Earlier this summer, Lion George Stock, Publicity Director for the Lions made a personal donation of $1000 towards the total. Recently, Rob Furino, shown above, matched that donation with a $1000 cheque of his own. To date, just under $10,000 has been raised, and now the 75 members of the Valley East Lion’s Club will be knocking on doors asking residents if they are willing to kick in with their own donation of $20 to the cause. For contributions of $20 or more, names will be entered into a draw for a number of valuable prizes. Each Lion who raises $500 will also have his name engraved in a plaque of recognition in the new facility.

The Valley East Lion’s Club has been providing financial and moral support to virtually every segment of our community for many, many years. Whenever someone approaches them with a request for assistance, especially in the area of health and welfare, the club has come through in a big way. Now, as a result of snow damage to the roof of the Lion’s Den, located at the St. Joseph’s playground centre in Hanmer, the very same Lions who have always been there for the community, are turning to us for help.

The City of Greater Sudbury Council has decided to accept a request by the Lion’s Club to share in the payment of the $50,000 deductible necessary to rebuild the Lion’s Den, but because of the charter regulations set by Lion’s International, the organization is unable to use any of the previously raised funds on building construction. All of the money raised in the community through bingos, raffles and nevadas, must be returned to the members of the community. The activities of the Lion’s have resulted in an enormous amount of money being raised and donated back to the community. But none of it can be used in the “Raise The Roof Campaign”.

It is very difficult for this group of volunteers to have to turn around and ask for help from the very community they have been committed to serve in the past.  “We have always done things for others,” commented Marcel Servais, a long-time Lion who has also served on numerous committees. “Now we need your help!”

During the campaign, the Lions will continue to perform their community volunteer work and will continue to provide support to those who need it. “This will have absolutely no impact on our regular fund-raising projects,” Servais assured us. “It will be business as usual, but we are hoping that our new home will be ready for us as early as next Spring.” The Lion’s have contributed to the quality of life of Valley East in a wide variety of ways, including helping out with the food banks, teen dances and many other health and welfare projects.