The Penola Lions Club has refurbished its well-used wishing well, giving it a new lease of life.

The club was chartered in September 1965 and the wishing well was placed in the town park in the late 1960s.

It was constructed by members of the club and is used as a memorial to Penola Lions Club members who pass away while a member of the club.

Club secretary Mike Matuschka said there were many past members who had given long and loyal service to the club and the community, but who left the club before they died.

A plaque on the rim of the well says that all money collected is used for cancer research and treatment.

Mr Matuschka said the well gathers around $120 a year in coins.

“Lions usually make this up to the next $100 and donate the funds to the Lions Cancer Research program,” he said.

Since the late 1960s, this has amounted to more than $10,000.

The well originally had a roof, however it was removed for safety reasons.

The club decided to refurbish the well to coincide with last year’s 75th anniversary of the charter of the first Lions Club in Australia.

Because of this special occasion, the Penola club decided to have a plaque made to commemorate the event.

Members of the Penola Men’s Shed assisted Lions members in constructing and installing a new arch for the well.