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CEN A ee ORE OSE ES ee ee ee ee ee ee Ce ee a The Castor Review May, 1982 5 5 Russell Lions celebrate 35 years by Ray McNamara Thirty-five years ago, 27 community-minded individuals saw the need for a-service club in Russell. These men, under the auspices of Lions International and Ottawa Central Lions, chartered the Russell Lions Club on May 27, 1947. . The Russell Lions in this, their 35th year, would like to thank the club's charter members: K.M. Boyd, J.E. Cochrane, H.A. Cor- dell, M. Cousineau, E. Craig, G.A. Gamble, G. Hall, R.M. Hay, F.A. Kinnaird, J.E. Kyle, A. Long, L.A. MacEwen, G.E. Mc- Caffrey, J.C. McArthur, E.J. McEwen, H.S. McKeown, J. - McPherson, R.G. Phair, E.G. Rankin, E.G. Rawson, P. Roberts, M. Stanley, M.A. Stechishen, J. Twiname, . T. Wade, W. Waldron. It was these men who set it all in motion -- a tradition of service and brotherhood that is recognized throughout the Ottawa and Castor area. © Since becoming part of Lions International (the world's largest service organization with more than 1.35 million members) the Russell club has been very active in the community. Sports and recreation, the han- dicapped, the needy, disaster vic- tims, senior citizens and com- munity service are the main areas of concern to the club. The early years saw the membership actively participating in tuberculosis cam- paigns, the Lions Club brass band ~ and establishing the Russell Arena. : The Sixties brought forth the sponsorship of little league baseball and the commencement of work on the Lions Ball Park. Spearheaded by the club, the Russell Centennial Pool Project was well under way by 1965 with further donations from the club during construction. Donations were also made to Senior Softball, Lake Joseph Holiday Camp and the Russell Arena. Walks in support of the swimm- ing pool and arena were organized by the club during the early Seven- ties. In June, 1974 the club under- took its major funding project with a $30,000 pledge to the Agriculture Society in support of the new arena (Dr. Kinnaird Com- munity Centre). Russell's new fire department building received club support during its construction in 1971. The Seventies also saw donations made to the Old Time Fiddlers and the adoption of a child. © Lions projects and support go beyond our community and the Castor area -- as illustrated by a $500 donation to the Burn Unit of Children's Hospital in Ottawa. During the past several years, the club has been instrumental in organizing and managing the Youth Work Project and Russell Village Children's Summer Camp. A new venture for the club is the co-sponsorship of Snow- arama -- with the Chesterville Rotary Club. The Russell Winter Carnival, a joint venture of the Lions and the Russell Recreation Association, is now entering it fifth season. Throughout the years, dona- tions to the Ontario Crippled ae Charter members of the Russell Lions Club wear their 35th anniversary medals, from left to right: George Mc- Caffrey, Dr. Frank Kinnaird and Russell Phair. The club has continued its uninterrupted community work for a decade longer than a quarter-century. Children's Society and the Cana- dian National Institute for the Blind have been a tradition. On many occasions crutches, braces, wheelchairs, special glasses and other aids have been purchased for handicapped people. As the Ottawa Central Lions Club did for the fledgling Russell group, we in turn have done for others. The Russell Lions Club chartered the Navan Lions Club in 1952, Metcalfe Lions Club in 1960 and Finch Lions Club in 1969. The preceding has been a brief history of the club as well as a few examples of how the club has serv- ed through giving. : ~ We also serve the community when staging fund-raising ac- tivities. By providing events and activities for the area's population to attend, such as: dances, walk-a- thon, bike-a-thon, Winter Car- News Russell council rejects Russell Township had been ask- ed in April, by a group of village -residents to establish wards in the Township. The group presented a petition signed by 135 people when it met with council. Under the proposed system, the.township would be split into four wards for the election of councillors, with the reeve elected at large. A depu- ty reeve would be chosen by the council from its own ranks. Burgess agrees that a ward system would probably bring a bit more bickering at council meetings. But she thinks that would produce better local government. "Of course, a coun- cillor will fight for the items that affects his or her own ward. That's exactly what we want to see -- somebody going in their to fight for us. 'But they're all supposed to be politicians, and that means presenting a good case for your ward and 'doing a little horse- trading with other ward represen- tatives to get what you need."' Burgess said the other area townships with ward - systems report a slight increase in - acrimony when the ward system is first introduced. "But they got us- ed to it," she said. * Russell Township Council has refused to endorse the concept of © a ward system for the township. And Russell Village resident Angela Burgess, who organized the petition for a ward system of representation, says council didn't do its homework. Reeve Gaston Patenaude told a recent public meeting of council he checked "with Toronto'? and was told that no other township in Ontario has a ward system. "That is absolutely untrue," Burgess says. "There are three townships with a ward system right in our backyards. "West Carleton, Rideau and Gouldburn townships all have a ward system and they are very similar in composition to Russell Township." : Patenaude told the council 'he had checked with the mayors of Hawkesbury and Cornwall and found that they had done away with their ward system during the past few years. Councillor Jean Brisson said a ward system would only force a council member to be more con- cerned with details regarding his own ward rather than getting in- volved with township-wide pro- blems. The Ontario Municipal Board is the next stop for the Wards For Russell committee. OMB requires that the local committee place advertisements to inform residents of their suggestion and call for ob- wards jections at a public meeting. "The advertising will cost a lit- tle money," Burgess said. "But it should work out well because I can't see the OMB turning down our request unless there are very strong objections from the com- munity and we haven't seen that yet."" Dennis McGann photo nival, ball and hockey tour- ball park canteens, fastball tour- naments, and steak barbeques. nament and ticket sales go toward Funds raised through light bulb supporting the needs of the com- sales, winter carnival, arena and munity. Hair Design and Cosmetic Salon NEW HOURS: Wed. and Thurs. until 8 p.m. VICTORIA ST. : : TELEPHONE METCALFE, ONTARIO 821-3010 CARTAGE LTD. ® Tandem Trucks @ osdacs @ Dump and Hopper Trailers ® Equipment Rentals RUSSELL 445-2820 ee r Dinner 5:30 - 8 p.m. Dancing until 1 a.m. ee ' Russell Lions Club STEAK 'n DANCE Featuring the 10 oz. Ribsteak Friday, June 4th Advance tickets $5 each At the door $6 each Call 445-3029