A new youth service club in Morden has received recognition from its international organization.
The Roaring Morden Leos, the youth arm of the Morden Lions Club, recently received a service award for its efforts in the community.
It is a new honour introduced by international president Fabrício Oliveira from Brazil for the 200 Leos clubs around the world.
Shannon Dueck, district governor for an area that encompasses most of Manitoba, suggested it is unique to get such a high level of award given to a club in such a smaller community.
“He has chosen to give this award, I believe, to a handful of Leos club in those geographical areas … choosing one club from the 36 in this regional district that includes Manitoba and northwest Ontario.
“They chose the Morden Roaring Leos, which is one of the newest clubs in our multiple, so it’s quite an honour to have this award.”
Dueck said the local Leos club has quickly made an impact and drawn attention.
“Everyone talks about this Morden Leos club at every convention I go to,” she said. “Morden is on the map when it comes to Leos clubs and the Morden Lions club because it’s rebuilt. We had a Lions club for the longest time, but it folded, and we started another one.”
She is very proud of the club, which she noted is entirely made up of newcomers to Canada and to the Morden area.
“And every single time they do a fundraiser, they give back … every bit that they make, they donate to worthy causes in our area, and it’s great,” she said, noting how they have supported such organizations as Genesis House, Pembina Valley Humane Society and Many Hands Resource Centre.
The club currently has about a dozen members, and the number has fluctuated.
“A lot of their parents are Lions members or were members when they started the new Lions club, and they wanted to get their kids involved,” noted Dueck.
Leos club president Angel Jain said it was a great honour to be recognized in this way.
“I feel very great. I feel like all of the effort we put into the fundraising and volunteering is worthwhile,” she said. “It feels really great to be volunteering and giving back to the place where we came to live.”
