Skip to content

Lions earn major awards

The Lions Clubs International Foundation gave three awards to important gentlemen at the Lions Club House Monday. Ed Smith has been in the North Battleford Lions Club since 1961 and received a 50-year pin.
GN201110306299993AR.jpg
Gathered at the North Battleford Lions Club House to honour special members Monday were Shawn Hewitt, Bernie Misselbrook, John Welykochy, Wally Lewis, Ed Robinson and Ed Smith.

The Lions Clubs International Foundation gave three awards to important gentlemen at the Lions Club House Monday.

Ed Smith has been in the North Battleford Lions Club since 1961 and received a 50-year pin. This pin represents "dedication to humanitarian service of highest degree." In those 50 years he has been the secretary, president, was named a lifetime member in the Lion Eye Bank and received the Judge Stevenson award.

Wally Lewis and John Welykochy received the Melvin Jones Fellow award. This award is the highest award that can be received and there are only eight more people who received this award in Canada.

Lewis joined the Lions club in Churchill, Man. in 1967, moved to Lynn Lake Lions Club in 1969 and then in 1973 come to North Battleford Lions Club. He has been helping the sight impaired in several communities. He was also given the Judge Stevenson award in North Battleford.

Welykochy has been a member since 1966. He was president in Spiritwood and then transferred to Kipling. In 1977 he came to North Battleford, and served as president and secretary in all three of these communities. He was also named the lifetime member in the Lion Eye Bank. He is the district council president and earned the international senior council award.