The Years of 2002 to 2006
The year of 2002 saw us take over sponsoring and fully organizing the car show. It will now be known as the Arnprior Lions, Canada Day Car Show. We also started what we call the Gully Project behind the Arnprior Mall. Some day we hope to see a bridge or walkway erected in this area.
One of our members Lion Doug Spaull was presented with a Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship Award to commemorate his 50th year as a member of the Arnprior Lions. Congratulations!
We purchased a 1964 Ford Thunderbird to be raffled off and drawn for at our Car Show 2003. This would be a continuous project with all profits going to the Arnprior Hospital for much needed equipment. It was to be a 5 year project or until $80,000 was received.
Our first time of organizing the car show in 2003 proved very successful with some 325 vehicles showing up. It was also the first year for the show to be held at the Robert Simpson Park. The draw for our first car the 1964 Thunderbird was also a success. The winner was from Brighton, Ont. We then purchased a 1969 Mustang to be drawn at next year’s show. We approached Lions International on behalf of a grant from LCIF for our hospital project. It was agreed, that with the help of another club, a grant could be sent to us if our goal was met. The Arnprior McNab Lions Club agreed to be a partner with us.
2004 saw us celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the Canada Day Car Show. As part of our 2004 Car Draw, we had a $1000 early bird draw on New Years Eve which was won by a ticket holder from Stittsville, Ont. The 69 Mustang was won by a Manotick, Ont ticket holder. Selling tickets on a car has now proven successful but strenuous with all the travelling required. But we did it plus many other projects as well. Maybe it wasn’t that bad , we got another car. This time a 1971 Mustang Fastback with the big 429 engine.
We started 2005 in grand style again at our New Years Party, with another $1000 early bird winner, again as part of our Car Draw for 2005, which went to Metcalfe, Ont. This year we entered the high tech world with our own web site www.arnpriorlionsclub.org New ventures for us were Spaghetti dinners, along with renting of our hall for craft shows and flea markets. We once again ventured into selling Easter Bunnies. Hopping right along we made a large donation to the Arnprior Area Youth Association. We looked at the Gully project but have put it on hold until some technical problems can be worked out. We just have too many fish in the pond, anyway. During our annual Car Show M & M Meats were gracious enough to donate their BBQ cart to us to sell hamburgs and hotdogs. A good profit was realized from this. Thanks M & M. The draw for the 71 Mustang at the car show was won locally by a winner from White Lake, Ont. We are off and driving again as we have a 1967 Firebird, convertible for our draw next year. We worked the gates for the Arnprior Fair, what a success story. The best fair in many, many years. Our Child ID Book, Farmers Night and our weekly Bingo were well received.
In October all of our hard work in the selling of tickets on classic cars, bed races, wheel chair races and many other projects we were involved with, came down to a great evening at our hall. In partnership with Arnprior McNab Lions Club and a grant from Lions Clubs International Foundation a cheque for $162,000.00 was presented to the Arnprior & District Memorial Hospital. With the donation, a Central Monitoring System was purchased for the Hospital. It certainly was a great evening with about 80 people attending. WE SERVE.
A decision was made that our Club would not become involved with the Canada Car Show held on the 1st of July 2006. After being involved for 7 years we decided to pass it on to someone else if they were interested. This event was very good for our Club but required a lot work and long hours. A big thanks to so many sponsors and groups who helped us out over the years. Who knows, someday we may be back.
In October a history of our Club started appearing in our local newspaper The Arnprior Chronicle Guide and would run every month for 13 months until our 60th anniversary was held.
This would also be the last year that we would be involved with The Child ID Book that we were presenting each year to all grade 1 classes at schools in our area. Due to lack of interest by any other groups the books became impossible to obtain.
Once again we ended 2005 and started 2006 with an early bird draw from our annual car draw. The lucky winner was from Limoges, Ont. During the month of January the Arnprior McNab Lions Club decided to cancel their Charter due to a declining membership and transferred to the Arnprior Lions Club. Not only did this increase our club with some great new members, it also gave our club it’s first lady member. We also by this time were well underway with another of our projects. This being the building of a house in Arnprior, which would be started in the early spring and completed by hopefully mid summer or early fall. The house would then be sold and all profits realized would go to our club to help our community. Our club was extremely pleased with the co-operation we received from so many businesses both locally and from out of town, including the Town of Arnprior and other services and individuals. We would be pleased if you would check our web site at www.arnpriorlionsclub.org under, house project, to acknowledge these groups in our community and outside areas. To just say thanks seems to be so humble in what you have done for us. In March of 2006, after 59 years we also cancelled our Bingo, which just wasn’t profitable to us anymore. We now have to start looking at other ways of raising funds for both our charity funds and our administrative side.
One of these ways, was to hold an Auction Sale in conjunction with the Arnprior Agricultural Society. This was a lot of hard work for both Clubs, but a lot of fun was had a both organizations made some money to help our ongoing projects. Also a 50's– 60's Dance was held with a lot a fun being had by all.
Jul 1st 2006 saw us draw for our 67 Firebird. The winner was Marcel Delorme from Orleans, Ont. We are hoping to get another car for 2007 and try this raffle again.
We had the great fortune of getting a Dell Computer, an All in one printer and a Stereo Speaker and Sub-Woofer donated to us by Dell Canada. We will hold a raffle for this system starting in Jul 2006 knowing a nice profit will be realized from this draw. It is amazing when the largest computer manufacturer in the world still has time to help out a Service Club in a small Community of our size. There still is hope for this world yet.
Again we will be looking after the Fair gates for the Arnprior Fair held in August. This is a project we have done with great results for the past 2 years.
Tags: history