THE LIONS CLUB OF LOBATSE
The Lions Club of Lobatse was chartered on 04 February 1968. It is the oldest club in Botswana and is a part of District 412 that constitutes four countries Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The club has carried on its service activities all these years and is continually growing in carrying out its mandate "We Serve".
The club now has a membership of thirty five (35) and celebrated its forty years of existence in 2008 and we were proud to have as our guest of honour Sam Burnett a Charter member of the club and his wife Anne Burnett.
The club carries out sight screening activities in the schools, Diabetes Screening and checking Blood pressure at health camps, Peace Poster contests, annual Christmas Cheer to patients in the hospital and is now in the process of constructing a shelter for destitutes. The members also participate in Fund raising walks that helps to fund the club's activities.
In 2009 on 25 November, the members decided that the club would treat the children with special needs from a local Primary School. Bothakga Primary School has thirty children of varying ages in two different classes. Diabilities vary from Cerebral Palsy ,Down's Syndrome and others. All the children were brought to Cumberland Hotel and with seven staff from the school and with members of the club spent an entire morning merry making. The children were treated to snacks and gifts for christmas. All in all members gave freely of their time and helped to bring joy into the lives of the less fortunate and a great sense of satisfaction was achieved by all.
20010-2011 has been a very rewarding experience for the members of the club. Our activities made our presence felt in the community and the club's activities were mentioned in the local newspapers.
Our activities this year featured
- Three (3) Health camps where we distributed free reading glasses to th elderly,
- A Breast Cancer awareness campaign for members of the community ,
- A donation of Pula 1000 to the Cancer Society of Botswana,
- distribution of Food Hampers to the Children's ward at the local Athlone Hospital on Christmas day
- Prize distribution to the winners of the local Peace Poster contest
- Eye Screening at a Senior Secondary School
- Donation of 100 blankets.
- Induction of three six new members.
- A 10 Km Fund Raising walk by members.
The activities proved to be very successful and the rewards of doing community service has been greatly appreciated by members and the community. Lobatse is in the midst of winter and the donation of blankets to thirty (30) destitute families at the Local Town Council and to hundred (100) orphan children at the Psycho Social Centre has been a blessing and warmed not only our hearts but the lives of some children from the severe cold.
The members are determined to continue with service to the community and hope to achieve greater heights under the able leadership of our new Club President Lion Peter Mayondi.
Lions are an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 205 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world.
