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The Kununurra Lions Club is no more. Lack of new members and the commitments of the few remaining members, has meant the club has had to be wound up. The first Kununurra Lions Club was started in 1965. It eventually stopped operating and was restarted in 1981 and has operated from then up until now. Two years ago, another Lions Club, the Ord River Lions Club, started up with predominantly female members and continues to operate. Following in its long tradition of giving to the community, the original club has gone out in style, donating more than $12,000 to worthy causes. The biggest recipient is the Picture Gardens with about $10,000 donated to help with the fight to retain its present location (see separate story in this edition). |
A further $1000 went to the Children's Ward at Kununurra District Hospital for the purchase of a DVD player and numerous DVDs. Another $1000 went to the Kyle Andrews Foundation, a completely voluntary organisation that provides children suffering from cancer or leukaemia with a holiday camp in Broome. Children quite often arrive for the camp looking sickly and being pushed in wheelchairs. It is not unusual to see them leaving looking a lot healthier and finding their own way on crutches. Amazingly, they take part in abseiling, speed boat rides, hovercraft rides, jet skiing, horse riding, pistol shooting, surfing, surf catting, snorkelling, pleasure boating, dining out and visits to numerous places around Broome. The foundation was named after Broome boy Kyle Andrews, who suggested, whilst being treated for leukaemia, how nice it would be for all his ward mates to be able to have a holiday in Broome. |
Sadly, he died not long after the first camp in 1998 and the foundation was born. The officer in charge of Wyndham Police Sgt Eddie Clouter became involved in the foundation whilst serving in Broome and he accepted the money from the Kununurra Lions Club on behalf of the foundation. The other recipient of the Lions largesse was the steering committee to set up Riding for the Disabled in Kununurra. It received $500. Club members Kevin Williams and Neil Richards presented the cheques to Sgt Clouter and Picture Gardens stalwart Maka Mackay. Maka said it was a huge bonus for the Picture Gardens but it was terribly sad to see the demise of a local volunteer service club. |