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Sonneson celebrates 40 years as a Lion

A charter member of Vavenby Lions Club (established 1977), Sonneson served six years as president
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Clearwater Lion Len Sonneson (l) receives his 40-year pin from Lions Club first vice district governor Wayne Atkinson on Nov. 1. Sonneson was a charter member of the Clearwater/Vavenby Lions Club. He was also at one time a part-owner of the Times. Photo submitted

Submitted

Len Sonneson received recognition and hearty congratulations for 40 years as a Lions club member from Lions first vice district governor Wayne Atkinson, zone chair Lorne Grigg, Clearwater/Vavenby Lions president Bobbi Bordeleau, as well as other Lions club members and guests at Wells Gray Inn on Nov. 1.

As a charter member of the Vavenby Lions Club (established 1977), Sonneson served as Lions club secretary (one year), president (six years), and zone chairman (one year) looking after five different Lions clubs.

During his 40 years, Sonneson participated in an astonishing variety of activities and fundraisers sponsored by this organization that is dedicated to serving and making a positive difference in the lives of their communities.

Probably the best known tradition of the local Clearwater/Vavenby Lions Club is the annual Christmas dinner they provide for our area seniors, including seniors from Forest View Place and Evergreen Acres.

This year’s delicious turkey with-all-the-trimmings dinner will again be at the Legion building on Sunday, Dec. 3.

During the last half-century our local Lions clubs have provided funds for families who had homes destroyed by fire, families who had serious medical needs that required travel to a major center or a wheelchair ramp, annual bursaries for CSS grads, Evergreen Acres, and sending kids to Camp Winfield, to name a few.

Some other Lions club sponsored activities/fundraisers have been the Vavenby Fall Fair, Snowrama, Mud-bog racing, fishing derbies at Graffunder Lake, Lions community calendar, Christmas card sales, chuckwagon (food truck) concession at many events, catering funerals, etc.

On a larger scale, the Alberta/BC Lions Clubs recently donated money to help rebuild several volunteer firehalls in the B.C. Interior that suffered loss during the summer of 2017 wildfires.

The Lions Club motto is “We Serve.” As a service organization, your local Lions Club welcomes new members, fresh ideas, and donations as they seek to continue to serve our North Thompson community.