Noon Lions Club receives Business of the Year (2006) award
By Lion Dusti Fansler
WELLINGTON,
KAN. — The Wellington Noon Lions Club was honored as the Business of the
Year winner for 2005 by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce at the 83rd
annual Wellington Chamber of Commerce meeting and dinner Thursday, Jan.
26, 2006.
This was the
first time a community service club has received the honor, which has been
presented in Wellington each year since 1997.
Wellington
Chamber of Commerce Director Shelley Hansel said she felt the business
award was fitting to the Noon Lions Club because it is comprised of so
many community and business leaders who have been an example of enthusiasm
and support to the city of Wellington.
The Club was
recognized for the impact of the 2005 Sumner County Aviation Festival on
the community.
The
three-day event was organized and hosted by the Noon Lions Club for the
first time in 2005 and attracted large crowds for hot air balloon
lift-offs, live entertainment, and spectacular events for kids including
free airplane rides with the Young Eagles.
The event was held at the Wellington Municipal Airport Sept. 23
through 25, 2005.
Fundraising
for the event was a huge success due to the support of the Wellington
community. Funds from the
event supported several donations to local not-for-profit organizations in
the community, from the local chapter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters to
Habitat for Humanity and many more.
Most
importantly, the event will allow the Club to give a substantial donation
to a local group or organization each year.
The
Wellington Noon Lions Club was the proud donor of a $5,000 gift to benefit
the grand opening of Wellington's Challenger Learning Center of Kansas in
January, 2006. These
funds will support the remarkable educational experience of students
through the Challenger, which improves communications, interpersonal
relationships and team building in a space-based environment.
Plans are
already underway for an even better Sumner County Aviation Festival to be
held at the Wellington Municipal Airport Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 2006.
The
Wellington Noon Lions Club also held successful Mexican dinners and fly-in
breakfasts, worked with the sight foundation, organized and participated
in highway clean-up efforts and Operation Clean Sweep, which focused on
the downtown area.
In 2005, the
Wellington Noon Lions Club created a Leo Club for high school students who
would like to volunteer for service projects in their community.
Students who commit themselves to service also work toward a
scholarship through the Wellington Noon Lions Club.
Over 50
Lions create the club, which holds weekly meetings at a local restaurant.
Membership for the club doubled in 2005, and is expected to
continue to grow in 2006 as community-wide excitement for about the 2006
Sumner County Aviation Festival grows, and new people become involved in
other events and projects hosted by the Lions.
For more
information on the Wellington Noon Lions Club, please visit their newly
developed Website at
www.roarlions.org.
The Website is under construction and will soon be developed with
additional photographs and information on local Lions Club events.
History of Lions Junior Award:
Beginning in 1931, the Lions Club
decided to honor members of the freshman class, six boys and six girls, for
their outstanding qualities. These awards have not been based on a
student's athletic ability, popularity, or scholastic aptitude. These
students have been selected because they have shown by their example the Code of
Ethics:
1. To show my faith in the worthiness of
my education by industrious application to the end that I might merit a
reputation for quality work.
2. To seek success through my education,
but to accept no advancement at the price of my own self respect, lost because
of advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.
3. To remember that in building up my
character, it is not necessary to tear down another; to be loyal to my friends,
classmates and teachers, to be true to myself.
4. Whenever a doubt arise as to the
right of my position or actions towards by associates to resolve such doubt
against myself.
5. To hold friendship as an end not a
means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the benefits
conferred from one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but
accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
6. To always keep in mind my obligations
as a citizen to my nation, my state, my community, and my school, and to give
the unswerving loyalty in word. act and deed.
7. To be careful with my criticism and
liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.
8. To live a clean wholesome life,
assuming the responsibility for that life myself to exemplify that life through
the practice of the Golden Rule.
Over the past 76 years more than 870
freshman girls and boys have been selected to receive this award. Many of
those award winners have gone on to be leaders in their communities, businesses,
churches and families. It may not be surprising to some that over the
years students and their parents and/or grandparents have been selected for this
award.
Wellington
"Noon" Lions Club