A Page in Our History

The Greely Lions Club held its first meeting on 25 January 1988 and received its Club Charter from Lions International later that year on 9 April.  Between those two dates, the membership decided that it needed to start its fund-raising campaign immediately and in grand style.  Working with the Osgoode Township Council, Don Cardill (Donwell Construction) and other Greely citizens, the club members obtained title to a building lot, a home design and a bank loan to buy the materials to build a house.  In only a few months, the newly minted Greely Lions Club started building the home on 20 June 1988.

Lions Governor Bill McGregor (with shovel) with Greely Lions Charter President Al Bezanson and Lions Past District Governor Gord Schoener (in suit) began the home building project by turning the first sod.  From project conception to breaking ground took only 3 months!

 The project relied on many individuals and business.  The young club needed professional building experience, funding for materials and labour.  These contributions were acknowledged on a large donor sign erected on Parkway Road.

Building the foundation, framing and completing the house took 5 months.  The first showing of the house to prospective buyers took place on 20 November 1988.  The Greely Lions held a special thank you dinner to the 75 individuals and 55 companies that contributed to the success of this first fund raiser.

 Gib Patterson’s Bempridge Realty World sold the house for the club without charging a commission for the work.  Grateful for this additional contribution, Club President Al Bezanson built a new computer and installed it in the home of the salesman who completed the sale.  From the start of construction until final sale was less than 6 months.

Once the house and surplus building materials were sold, the Club immediately donated over $46,000 of the profits from the project to fund a project to build a new Greely Community Centre.  Members of the club continue to support events such as Breakfast with Santa, the Greely Winter Carnival and Canada Day celebrations, along with the many other activities held in the Community Centre.