Community
23 May, 2025
Lions invite residents for fellowship and fun
CAMPERDOWN Lions Club is reaching out for more members to join up and enjoy some fellowship, fun and community work as volunteers across Australia celebrate National Volunteer Week this week.
Lions member Bill Duncanson, who was recognised for his 50 years of service to Lions in October last year, said he joined Lions very quickly after being able to experience different groups.
“I became a volunteer of Lions because I used to be a guest speaker at different public groups, and I’d always been interested in volunteering – of all the groups I’d visited, Lions appealed to me simply because they were a service club rather than volunteering for a single organisation or a single cause,” he said.
“They are worldwide, which gives them access to helping each other throughout countries, there is that fellowship that was worldwide, and I was interested in the goals they have and the types of things they worked in – such as welfare, research and medical science.
“To me, I could serve my own community and I could be part of a worldwide organisation with wider interests.”
Mr Duncanson said volunteering with Lions was always fun and provided him with a sense of satisfaction.
“We have fun – some people think you don’t have fun when you get to a certain age, but we encourage younger members to join with us,” he said.
“We have social activities as well as enjoying working.
“You get a lot of satisfaction when you help somebody, donate money to a cause, or build something that is going to be of benefit to a wider community.
“That’s the most enjoyment.
“Wherever you go in the world, if you’ve got your Lions badge on, someone will come and say hello to you – I’ve been on overseas trips and it’s amazing how many people recognise that badge.”
The Camperdown Lions Club assist various groups and organisations with their activities, such as manning the gates at the Camperdown Cup or helping out at the Camperdown Show, as well as running fundraiser barbecues alongside smaller community events.
Mr Duncanson said he wanted to address one key misconception about the Lions Club.
“Some people get the impression, when they see a blue Lions shirt out in the community – they think we’re always busy and have no time for recreation,” he said.
“The more members we get, the more work we can do without people getting overburdened.
“My story to people is that almost all of our members wear more than one hat in Camperdown – they belong to other organisations, they volunteer for a sports group, or they work as a volunteer for their church or an op shop.
“There’re all sorts of places they volunteer at as well, and our argument is it’s a matter of sharing the work around.”
Mr Duncanson encouraged anyone who was interested in volunteering for the Lions Club to speak with a Lions Club member to find out more about what they do within the community.
“Nobody should be frightened about asking us about what we do, and I’m sure there will be a place for them – even if it’s cleaning our signs once a month, doing some weeding at our cemetery garden, be a treasurer of our club, or even cook on the barbecue,” he said.
“There’s a wide range of duties.
“Whether you’re a professional person, a truck driver or a gardener – we’ll find a place for you in Lions.”
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