Georgetown Lions Citizen of the Year and the Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year
Halton Hills Ontario
Since 1973 The Georgetown Lions Club has honoured individuals, couples or organizations for their volunteer work in our community. They all have one thing in common, the desire to make Georgetown a better community for everyone. Our Lions members contribute thousands of hours of volunteer work each year we know what it takes to serve and it is fitting that we give recognition to a citizen who has served his or her community in an outstanding way. The final selection is based on the recipient’s achievements and their outstanding contributions to our community. The committee wishes to acknowledge and thank those Georgetown citizens who write to us and made nominations for the Citizen of the Year Award.
How Do I Nominate Someone?
To nominate an outstanding volunteer send a letter or if you prefer use our application form and return it to Lions Club Citizen of the Year, P.O. Box 73, Georgetown L7G 4T1, or email gt.lionsclub.event@gmail.com . Past nominations are carried forward for two years and will be reconsidered. This is your chance to truly recognize someone in our community that makes a difference in the lives of many in our town. To nominate using the Lions applicaiton form click on the link below:
http://e-clubhouse.org/userfiles/25476/file/Georgetown%20Lions%20Club%20C%20ot%20Y%20application.pdf
Past Recipients
1972- Peggy Treahy 1995 –Lois Fraser
1973 – Georgetown Volunteer Fire Dept. 1996 –Trevor Williams (d)
1974 – Rev. Peter Barrow 1997 –Ron (d) & Dorothy Hunt
1975 - Georgetown Volunteer Ambulance 1998 –May (d) & Shell Lawr
Service 1999- Paul C. Armstrong
1976- Connie Nieuwhof 2000- Barry & Sandra Timleck
1977 –Walter H. Gray (d) 2001- Manley & Doreen Densmore (d)
1978- Irwin & Joy Noble (d) 2002- Martin Boomsma
1979 – Karen Harrison 2003- Jenny Tuffin
1980- Violet Haines (d) 2004- Tom Schenk
1981- A.V. Ab Tennant (d) 2005- Glenda Benton
1982- Esme Ball (d) 2006- Louise Brown
1983- Ralph Ursel (d) 2007- Homecoming Committee 2007
1984- W. “Steamer” Emerson (d) 2008- Dr. Jeff Sutherland
1985- Jean Layman (d) 2009- Ernie Bodnar
1986- Georgetown Girls Pipeband 2010- Dianne Penrice
1987- Edward “Ted” Gorth (d) 2011- Laurent Thibault
1988- Thompson “Tom” Ramautarsingh (d) 2012- Graeme Goebelle
1989- Jesse Hayes (d) 2013- Brenda Sisnett
1990- Siena Van Hoekelen (d) 2014- Fred Helson (d)
1991- Lena Johnston (d) 2015- Kay d’Entremont
1992- A. “Sandy” Booth (d) 2016- Dave and Dale Cox
1993- Lou Darcie 2017- Gerry Kentner
1994- Russell Miller (d) 2018-Dee Dee Haynes-Ridley
(d) – Deceased
The Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year
The Georgetown Lions Club has since 1972 honoured a worthy volunteer by awarding the Annual Citizen of the Year Award. Over last 47 years the award has been given to individuals, couples or organizations that have made Georgetown a better community.
The format has remained consistent until this year as the Lions Club will be adding a new award to the evening. The Lions is the largest service club organization in the world with over 1 million members in over 200 countries we know the dedication that is required to be a good service club member.
Service clubs are unique in that the members join not only to undertake community service but also to form close bonds and friendships that endure for many years. Members may channel all their volunteerism through the service club the success of the projects undertaken benefit the community while the individual member may not get the recognition in the broader community as the whole club undertook the project. The Lions felt that the community should be able to honour and publicly acknowledge those service club members that give of their time and talents to the community accordingly a new award is being established commencing in 2019 and will be combined with the Lion’s' Citizen to the Year Award Dinner.
Criteria for the Award
- Member in good standing in a Georgetown Service Club with a minimum of three years service
- Be nominated by their home club
- Cannot be a past Citizen of the Year
- Has worked on projects that have benefited the local community
- To be awarded at least once every three years
- Award to be given at the COTY awards dinner
The inaugural award will be given to one of our own, Lion Fred Zorge and the award will be known as the Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year.
Dee Dee Haynes- Ridley 2018 Citizen of the Year
Dee Dee receives the Award from Lion Doug Penrice
The Georgetown Lions club is pleased to announce that Dee Dee Haynes- Ridley has been named as Georgetown’s Citizen of the Year. This award given out annually since 1972 recognizes the contributions that volunteers make to the community, past recipients have included individuals, organizations and couples.
If you have been to a local baseball diamond or one of your children has played baseball in Georgetown you have been exposed to Dee Dee. She has dedicated thousands of hours over many years to provide quality sports in Georgetown. Starting off as a house league coach in Georgetown Minor Baseball she now plays a critical role in the expanded Halton Hills Minor Baseball Association (HHMBA).
Dee Dee has been on the executive for over 10 years has been Director of Umpiring, Director of Communications and Community Relations in this latter role she has been an enthusiastic ambassador in the community soliciting funds for new baseball diamonds. With the growth in the community baseball registrations are increasing each year and volunteers like Dee Dee are essential to help the children have the best experience possible.
When a local service club could no longer operate the Girls Softball League the Georgetown Ladies Powder Puff League (GLPL) assumed the operation and of course Dee Dee as President of the GLPL was there to help organize the league. Dee Dee also organized the umpire clinics for the girl’s league. Dee Dee in addition to managing multiple leagues and teams still finds time to play herself in the GLPL.
In 2018 the Girls House League teams were transitioned to the Halton Hawks Girls Fastpitch League to provide the girls with an opportunity for further skill development. Dee Dee was the liaison between the two leagues and continues to support the Hawks’ house league program.
To assist with fundraising the HHMBA undertook to operate the concession stand in the Georgetown Fairgrounds Park and many weekends and nights you may see Dee Dee serving behind the counter. Her commitment to baseball is legendary and through her hard work and dedication has provided opportunities for children and women to enjoy a sport that can be played for a life time.
In the off season, Dee Dee takes a short break from baseball and takes her energy to the 5 pin bowling alley administering the Georgetown Youth Bowling League. This has become more difficult with the closure of our local bowling alley and teams must travel to Streetsville to play. Dee Dee continues to coach local and provincial level youth teams each Saturday morning from September to April.
Dee Dee serves on the board of the Caruthers Road Co-Op housing complex a position she has held for over five years.
In addition to her outstanding volunteer work Dee Dee works full time at the Georgetown District High School as an Educational Assistant in the Community Pathways Program that assists children with varying exceptionalities. On her rare days off she also works part time at Vanderburgh Flowers. It has been said if you want something done go to a busy person and Dee Dee is an example of that.
Dee Dee is married to Dave and they have one son Nicholas aged 22 not surprisingly the whole family plays recreational baseball multiple times per week and are involved in the sport of 5 pin bowling. The couple have been lifelong residents of Georgetown with both Dave and Dee Dee playing baseball as children in the leagues that Dee Dee now manages.
The Lion Fred Zorge Award Service Club Member of the Year
Lion Fred with Lion Linda Dilks
About Lion Fred
Fred was invited to join the Lions by one of the contractors that he was working with at the time. The year was 1959 and the month was March. At the time the Lions would meet at the Legion then moved to Stan’s Restaurant on Main St. (now the House of Buddha). Stan Wade the owner of the restaurant was a dedicated Lions member, in addition many prominent local businessmen like Dick Licata, Jim Jones and Murt Allison and others were members of the club. Fred’s brother Jon also joined the club at the same time.
Fred became a very active member serving on almost every committee including the annual rodeo, Santa Claus Parade, Georgetown Fall Fair, races at the fairgrounds, Grey Cup draw and many more. He was instrumental in starting the Citizen of the Year and our ongoing support for the Guide Dog School in Oakville. If it was a Lions’ project Fred stepped up to help and does so to this day a remarkable achievement for someone who just turned 92.
Fred was committed to the Georgetown Lions Club and making it successful, accordingly he has served in every capacity in the club including President and multiple terms as treasurer and secretary. Fred was the project chair when the change rooms and Lions Hall were built at 42 Mill Street in 1972 (property sold by the Town to a developer). With his construction background he would supervise the members as they did the work including concrete block and interior finishing. The project cost about $100,000.00 and Lions members signed for the bank loan which was paid off in about three years.
Not content to just serve locally Fred became a zone and regional chair and then in 1971/72 was elected governor of our district. This required Lion Fred to travel to all the clubs providing mentoring and help.
Fred has been an ardent supporter of the Guide Dog School in Oakville, working together with the first Executive Director Ron Brown; he approached Lions clubs to support the development of the school. In 1997 through his efforts our district raised over $100,000.00 to get the project going.
Fred was asked to serve as a Director of the Lions Foundation and then Chair of the board in total an eight year commitment to ensure the success of this vital service to many Canadians. He served on the hiring committee set up to replace the retiring Ron Brown and insisted that the best “man” for the job was a woman, Sandy Turny who has guided the school for many years and has been an innovative leader.
Fred is a leader who has that rare ability to get things done while ensuring that members are valued in their volunteer work. His contributions to our club and the world wide Lions movement have been outstanding. He truly epitomizes our promise of “WE SERVE”
The Georgetown Lions club is proud to have Fred as member, mentor and is a shining example that we all look up to. Thank you Lion Fred for 60 years of service. This award is a testament to your commitment to the community.
Special thanks to our caterer Linda Armstrong and Halton Commercial Printing
