Lions clubs around the region celebrated 75 years of Lions in Australia last week with a zone gathering at the Mount Gambier RSL.

All five clubs from the lower South East were in attendance with 75 guests present from Gambier City Lions Club, Lions Club of Kalangadoo and Districts, Lions Club of Blue Lake City Lioness and the Lions Club of Mount Gambier.

Zone 11 chairman Beryl Mahoney said the social evening and celebration was a success.

“The process of the evening was to get all of the clubs in the five zones involved from the newest Lion who was inducted a month ago to the oldest serving Lion who has been a part of the organisation for 60 years,” she said.

“Everybody had a wonderful evening and we do not often get together as much as we used to, so it was great to have the five clubs represented there.

“The guest speaker was Lions Second Vice District Governor Carolyn Kilpatrick who spoke on her journey with hearing loss and how having a cochlear implant opened up a whole new world for her.

“Mount Gambier Probus Club president and Rotary Club of Mount Gambier past president Bill Hudd gave the official toast to 75 years of Lions in Australia.”

The occasion included a three-course meal and a cake cut by Mrs Mahoney.

Funds on the night from entertainment in the form of tail twisting and a raffle raised over $350 for the Mount Gambier Cancer Support Group.