Seven new members inducted into Belle Fourche Lions Club

Lions Drabek, Young and Walton

It was a full house for the Tuesday, March 24^th meeting as seven new members were inducted into the Belle Fourche Lions Club at the The Stadium Sports Grill.

The ceremony was conducted by Lion Bob Drabek with assistance from Lions Rick Walton and Cherlynn Young.  

Many of the inductees had been members of the Northern Lights Lions Club, the ladies Lions organization that has been exceptionally active in Belle Fourche vision screening over the past few years.

Moderator Drabek observed that this merger of the two clubs is much like a marriage – one of the two parties usually must have a name change.

Drabek also noted that the success of this arrangement will be the responsibility of all the members.

These were among the seven new Lions members and their sponsors participating in the March 24th induction ceremony, one of the largest such events in recent memory.

New members inducted into the Belle Fourche Lions Club were Lions Jeremy Biegert, Faith Goehring, Sue Neumeister, P.J. Sloan, Kelly Walton, Frank Walton, and Kellen Willert.

For a bit more information and additional photos, visit our Lions Gallery.

We should note that you’ll not see Lion sponsor Rik Bartels or inductee Lion P.J. Sloan in any of those photos.  During the course of the evening, the fire whistle blew and Lions Bartels and Sloan had to absent themselves from the festivities.

We should note that Lion Sloan was recently selected as “Fireman of the Year” by the Belle Fourche Fire Department.  Congratulations Lion Sloan!

In his induction comments, Lion Bob Drabek challenged each of the new members to help make the Belle Fourche Lions Club an even better organization.

After the ceremony, all enjoyed a wonderful “Lions Cake” from the oven of new Lion Sue Neumeister.

Thanks to all who made this a special evening, and congratulations to our new members of the Belle Fourche Lions Club.

South Dakota Lions Eye & Tissue Bank highlighted

Belle Fourche Lions club members -- joined by the Northern Lights Lions club -- learned a bit more about the South Dakota Lions Eye & Tissue Bank this week (12/11/14).

Alan Berdahl from the SD Eye & Tissue Bank

Lion Alan Berdahl, who is Community Outreach Coordinator for the Eye & Tissue Bank, provided a bit of history about the organization and focused on the importance of donors to the program.  They provide corneas and other tissues to citizens across South Dakota, the United States, and even the world. 

Located in Sioux Falls, the non-profit organization primarily serves southwest Minnesota, northern Nebraska, and all of South Dakota, but their reach is worldwide. They partner with hospitals, hospices, funeral homes, coroners, as well as EMS and law enforcement personnel.

To be a donor to the eye bank, you merely have to have it noted on your driver's license, but Berdahl recommended that you plan ahead and "get your family on board," which he said makes the process much easier.

Who can be a donor?  Almost "everyone" said Berdahl.  Eyesight or lack of it is irrelevant to cornea viability. "One donor can help hundreds of people," he said.  To learn more about eye and tissue donation, visit the South Dakota Lions Eye & Tissue Bank website.

New Belle Fourche Lions member Jeremy Biegert (left)
is welcomed by club president Rick Walton

In the final meeting for calendar 2014, there was lots of business conducted by Lions.  President Rick Walton reported that -- thanks to extra effort by new Lion Jeremy Biegert -- the posts for a new shelter next to Bowman Hall will soon be installed.

Lion Harry Haivala reported that the Lions "Christmas Family" has received their $250 gift care from Walmart for the purchase of food and other necessary items.

There was also recognition given to Lion Tim Cleveland for his 15 years of service and to Lion Brian Kline for receiving a "Sable" award from District Governor Arient-Rollman for his good work "behind the scene" as a Lion.  You'll find photos of Lions Cleveland, Kline, and others in our Lions Gallery.

President Rick Walton finalized the committee structures for the coming year.  You'll find a complete listing of assignments by clicking on the "Committees" tab at the top of this page.  And to get details about this meeting -- or any of our meetings for the past couple of years -- click on "Minutes."  A tip of the hat to Secretary Del Neumeister for his continuing diligence and promptness in generating minutes.  Our next meeting will be January 8, 2015.

And if you enjoy photographs, we have something of a "family album" of photographs from the December 11th meeting, as well as many meetings over the past several years.  You'll find them in our Lions Gallery.