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November 2013 1-3 : District 410-C Midyear Conference - Sierra Ranch, Mooi River 7th : Directors Meeting - Den 14th : Ladies Meeting - Den 21st : Lions Expo Meeting - Den 23rd :Lions Bingo - Lions’ Den 23rd : Bar Duties for Margate Hospital year end function 24th : Beach cleanup and Braai 28th : Club Meeting - Den 30th : Oldies Christmas Lunch December 2013 5th : Ladies Meeting - Den 12th : Combined Directors / Club Meeting - Den 14th : Old Pont Family Fun Day TBC : Food collections at Harbourview Superspar 31st : Lions New Year’s Eve Bash Venue TBC
I
was quite shocked when I heard about Lion Gary Baker having bypass surgery, Lion Kelvin having a mild heart attack and Lion Richard being admitted to hospital with a blockage in his colon. It appears that our members’ general health condition is declining and, as the responsible leader of our club I have decided to convert the clubhouse bar into a salad and veggie bar with immediate effect! Lion Hilton is also worried and has offered to conduct CPR training and fitness classes which will commence shortly.
Birthdays : November : 2nd : Jenny Vogt 5th : Fred Babumba 8th : Anita Hulley 14th : Gary Baker 15th : Samantha Plumbly 16th : Alastair Warman 19th : Myrna Masson 23rd : Peter Mc Killen 24th : Gayle Wallis 26th : Richard Borradaile 30th : Marcia Mc Garry December : 7th : Mike Davison 7th : Hans Wagenaar 21st : Colleen Baker
On a more serious note, our energy levels seem to have dropped a bit. This has serious repercussions when it comes to planning new fund-raising projects. Not only does it impact negatively on our bank account but, more importantly our service delivery to the needy. I want to appeal to all our members to reaffirm their commitment and once again become active and
supportive of our projects and events. The fund raising director and Show convener also need your commitment and support. Apart from the golf day our planned new look Expo is the only other real fundraiser that we have and we must make it successful. Have a wonderful month and remember Christmas is round the corner. Maybe we should have a Christmas tree for our kiddies? We can discuss this at the next meeting. Andre Beneke Club President
The September edition of the "Sheppie Pride" is magnificent, and I am sure you know it, but it does no harm for other Lions to confirm the fact. The 27th "Leadership Course" is impressively covered and was a remarkable achievement. "Good men" are clearly doing a great deal in your area. Well done and more strength to your arms. Lion David Clulow (Pietermaritzburg (Host) Lions Club) Thanks, I enjoyed especially the Leadership Retreat. Well done Sheppie Lions. PDG Stan Foley (Pinetown Lions Club) Denis you need more than a pat on the back for the Sheppie Pride. For all that your club does, where do you find the time to write such excellent articles! Those youngsters certainly had a wonderful weekend and you all looked so smart in your evening outfits. Let's hope that one day we will see some of these youngsters in Lions Clubs. I particularly liked '7 Cardinal Rules for Life'. Alice Walker (Eshowe KZN)
(Left) Sr Mdleko, Lion President Andre Beneke, Mrs Van Der Bossche, Richard Mills (MD) and Miss Gcuma (ENA)
ctober was National Eye care Awareness Month and, on 11 t h O c t o b e r, t h e P o r t Shepstone Lions Club once again teamed up with Hibiscus Private Hospital, local Opthalmologist Dr Trevor Steyn and Drs Basson & Louw (Anaesthesiologists) to assist 12 local residents with much needed cataract operations.
O
Port Shepstone Lions were the main
sponsors by providing the sum of R25000-00 towards the costs. Dr Trevor Steyn and Drs Basson & Louw (Anaesthesiologists) graciously
donated their time and skills. The lenses and surgical packets were kindly donated by Alcon, South Africa and G e n o p Healthcare and the the atre facility, wards and nursing staff were provided by Hibiscus Private Hospital in Port Shepstone. Specsavers, Shelly Beach also assisted all patients with their spectacles.
pensioner from Anerley stated that she was extremely grateful for this surgery and thanked everyone involved. She couldn’t wait to be able to read and watch TV again. Mr BB B r a z i e r, a 4 8 y e a r o l d f r o m Umtentweni believed that it was an absolute miracle that he was selected for the operation. He had been a Provincial patient for many years and expressed his gratitude to Club President Lion Andre Beneke. He added that, had it not been for
It was, once again, a great honour to be part of this Mrs & Mr Van Staden with Lion Denis worthy cause. None of the Meyer patients were in a position to afford sponsors like the Port Shepstone the operation and would Lions Club, he would have been have battled with permanently blinded in his right eye deteriorating eyesight for the for the rest of his life. rest of their lives which severely impacted on their lifestyles. All of the Richard Mills (MD), Mrs Van Loggerenberg patients were & Club President Andre Beneke. recommended to the one day program from the public sector waiting list. 5 0 y e a r o l d Murchison resident, Mr D Madlala was ecstatic when he came out of the t h e a t r e . M r s A C Va n Loggerenberg, an 89 year old Photos courtesy of Mariette Venter - OSA Creative Marketing
K
aiden Mittwoch is a 3 year, 9 month old little boy and suffers from intractable seizures. He has been extensively worked on by Professor Rodda at the Witwatersrand University and his case has been presented at both national and international conferences due to its complexity. the underlying cause of his overall condition as well as the seizures is still unknown. Lion Jeff Smith donated a pram to Kaiden’s mother, Sunet Le Roux on behalf of the Port Shepstone Lions Club. Sunet left her job in Gauteng to move down to the South Coast with Kaiden's father, who is currently one of the Managers at the Shelly Beach Spur. Sunet is unemployed and after chatting to Lion Lady Anita Hulley, this assistance to them was provided. Lion Jeff was really struck by Sunets positive nature and her love for her son, Kaiden. He can do absolutely nothing and she and her family care for him 24/7. The day Lion Jeff delivered the pram, Sunet and her sister were taking Kaiden to the beach. Sunet expressed her gratitude for what the Lions are doing to assist Kaiden and she has offered to help the Club at any of our projects in the future. A wonderful, positive example for us all!
During the month of October, Lions around the world chartered 113 new clubs and welcomed 16,083 new members.
Article Courtesy of Karin Boland - PRO, Port Shepstone High School
D
istrict Governor Heather Hardman officially visited the Port Shepstone Lions Club on Wednesday 9th October. The Port Shepstone Lions' Den was packed to capacity as 5 members from the Hibberdene Lions Club also attended the meeting as well as a number of Port Shepstone Lion Ladies Club members. During her visit, DG Heather officially inducted two new members, Wayne Skinner and Colin Haines. After an informative address, D.G. Heather and Port Shepstone Lions President Andre Beneke exchanged banners. D.G. Heather and Hibberdene Lions President Brian Porteous also exchanged banners. Lion Ladies President Estelle O'Neill presented DG Heather with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the club. The meeting was followed by a fellowship braai and refreshments.
Lion Lady President Estelle O'Neill Presented DG Heather with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Sheppie club
DG Heather exchanging friendship banners with Sheppie Lions President Andre Beneke
The Sheppie Pride - Page 8
Sponsor Gary Vogt DG Heather and new inductee Colin Haines
DG Heather with her Sheppie Cabinet Officers, PDG Denis Meyer, 1VDG Martin Rundle and ZC Kevin Ross enjoying fellowship after the meeting
Sponsor Jean Masson DG Heather and new inductee Wayne Skinner
Sheppie Ladies Jane Massey June Rundle Anna Compion and Anita Hulley relaxing after the meeting
Arguably one of the finest schools in the country and these two extraordinary individuals have been instrumental in shaping it’s future for the past 27 years.. involved and continued until 2012.
L
ion Peter McKillen was born, raised and educated in Northern Ireland. In 1972 he married Elsie and they moved to Essex, England, for a year before emigrating to Bulawayo, Rhodesia, where they were offered teaching posts. Ten happy years were spent in Rhodesia, where Paul and Kerry were born. The family left Zimbabwe in 1982 and settled in Boksburg for a year before relocating to Pretoria, where Mr McKillen served as HOD for Geography at Christian Brothers' College. In 1987, Mr McKillen was offered a teaching post at Port Shepstone High School by the then Principal, Noel Rowe. He took on the role of Superintendent of the Boarding Establishment for the next seven years. Much of this time was spent on the sports field, with Mr McKillen coaching first team cricket for eight years, as well as rugby, athletics and soccer. During this period he formed an Indoor Soccer Club for boys in the Noel Rowe Centre. This was joined and enjoyed by many enthusiastic hostel boys. When the Boarding Establishment became a hostel for girls only, Mr McKillen formed an Indoor Soccer Club for them, meeting with the girls on a bi-weekly basis for internally organised matches. This sport was enjoyed by all those
Mr McKillen's professional career developed quickly. In 1989, barely two years after taking up the position of English teacher at PSHS, he was promoted to Head of Department. That his huge leadership potential was recognised and appreciated is evident in the fact that within the next three years he was offered the position of Deputy Principal responsible for implementing the present pastoral care system. It was during this time that the Code of Conduct took shape, and Mr McKillen was instrumental in drafting and introducing this feature that has become key to our school's disciplinary success. The news of Mr McKillen's appointment as Principal of Port Shepstone High School in 2002 was welcomed by members of staff, the Governing Body, parents and learners alike. For the past decade, he has run a tight ship, his 'nononsense' attitude tempered by an open door policy that has earned him the reputation of being firm but fair. As a 'hands-on' principal, Mr McKillen has ensured that the school's facilities are continually upgraded and maintained, thus providing learners with a stimulating and attractive learning environment, and that the academic standards of PSHS compare favourably with those of the best schools in the country. Running a school of the magnitude of PSHS is no easy task, but Mr McKillen still finds time in his day to teach his Matric class. It is in the classroom situation that his love of teaching finds expression and his personal interaction with his students provides a gratifying reminder of why he chose to enter the teaching profession. Once the students
have come to terms with the intimidating experience of having their Principal as their English teacher (for the first term, at least, Mr McKillen complains that they “Don't talk to me”), they relax and enjoy his lovely sense of humour, his innovative teaching style and his vast general knowledge. These students would probably be surprised to know that there is another side to their teacher, a side that reveals a delightful sense of fun - that once threw caution to the wind and indulged in free expression in the days before the duties and responsibilities of his present position tied him down. For rumour has it that there is in existence an incriminating photograph of a certain young-ish, male member of the (English) staff who once danced on the school stage dressed as a ballerina in a tutu! We'll say no more of that… Mr McKillen, we will miss seeing you take your place at the lectern in assemblies, your mere presence quietening the crowds. We will miss seeing you standing at the edge of the sports field, offering comment and praise, and the occasional instruction to a cricketer to “tuck your shirt in”. We will miss having you as part of our (often controversial) Matric English poetry meetings. You have been respected and appreciated as a colleague in the English Department. We thank you for your years of reliable, professional and dedicated service to the school. You leave behind a legacy of discipline and fairness. You will be remembered. We wish you and Elsie a long, happy and well-earned retirement. (Article kindly supplied by Karin Boland PSHS PRO)
The Principal’s Final Message
And back in 1993.......
Elsie & Peter at the Lions Leadership Retreat Dinner
It was one of the Best Midyear Conferences we have ever attended!
A
very well done to Conference Convener Lion Trevor Hobbs and his Committee from the North Durban Lions Club who pulled out all the stops, organised and ran a truly fantastic Midyear Conference. There was not one detail that they missed out on. Everything, including the “goodie bags”, the aluminium “sheriff” name pins, the entertainment program, the conference, the motivational speaker, the venue, the accommodation, the meals, the sports, the entertainer on the Saturday night and most importantly, the Lions and Lionesses who attended, made this weekend an unforgettable one. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the friendly North Durban Lions at the Registration table and shown to our accommodations. Martin and I were allocated a large chalet with two separate rooms and one bathroom. The chalet was clean, comfortable and had all the facilities that we required. Te afternoon was dominated by various activities including bowling and mini golf, however we decided to chill on the verandah, sip ice cold beer, socialize and enjoy the beautiful views of the stunning KZN Midlands. After a delicious supper, the pub evening started with more socializing, darts, pool and dominoes competitions. Lions Andre and Kevin arrived after 7 and joined in the festivities. Unfortunately the Sheppie teams were knocked out by Kokstad and Scottburgh (evidence of their misspent youth!) but that wasn’t a train smash. It was a very pleasant evening and it is always great to catch up with colleagues in Lionism from other clubs. (Continued overleaf)
2013 Lions District 410-C Midyear Conference Weekend
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aturday was off to an early start with a delicious English breakfast in the main hotel restaurant. All delegates then made their way to the conference hall whilst the Partners in Service were taken on a tour of the famous “Midlands Meander”
and informative reports by the various District Chairmen. Some of the Dc’s also set up displays around the conference room. This was followed by the prizegiving for the 2012/2013 District Contests. The Kingsburgh Lions Club was, once again awarded with the “Club of the Year” award - very well deserved. This small group of Lions are amazing! Both the Kingsburgh and Port Shepstone Lions Clubs were the top achievers with three awards each. Port Shepstone Lions received the Project Public Relations Award, the Club Bulletin (Newsletter) (Multiple Pages) Award and the Information Technology Award. These were proudly accepted by Lion President Andre Beneke and PDG Denis Meyer (newsletter) respectively. DG Heather Hardman then went on to pay tribute to the Lions Committee from the North Durban
The Conference was really great. PDG
during the afternoon. Saturday night’s western themed party was excellent. The atmosphere, the superbly decorated venue, the food and the musician who provided foot tapping and very entertaining music, made this a night to remember. Everyone dressed in their “Old West” outfits and danced the night away. PDG Denis was awarded “Best Dressed Man” - much to his surprise! Sheppie Lions were joined at their table by PDG Debbie Berry from Ramsgate, DC Alan Wilms from Westville, PDG Rob Behrens from Kloof and PDG Stuart and Nicky Charlton from Kokstad - it was a very festive table indeed - enough said!! After breakfast on Sunday, delegates were addressed by motivational speaker, Karen Tocknell who inspired all with her story of how she has come to terms with the loss of her husband who, together with his crew, was lost to sea during the Mauritius to Durban Yacht race in 2005. The 2nd Cabinet Meeting of the year followed and after a delicious lunch, delegates bade farewell to each other and were on their way home. The Lions and Lionesses of District 410-C are so fortunate to have clubs that are willing to go that extra mile and host events such as this that inspire us all and motivate us to go back to our communities and serve with passion. Well done North Durban Lions, we are all proud to be associated with you.
Denis Meyer officially opened the Conference with an address which encouraged Lions to reassess their attitudes towards Lionism and Service. This was followed by very interesting
Lions Club for their outstanding efforts in organising and running the Conference and presented them with a certificate of appreciation and gifts. After lunch the Conference was finalised and delegates had some time off to enjoy the venue and relax, with the exception of the GMT Members who had their 2nd meeting of the year
Well done also to DG Heather Hardman who conducted both the Conference and Cabinet Meeting with the utmost professionalism and to the members of her home club, Cowies Hill who were there in numbers to support her. It was an excellent weekend by all accounts!
“Gone With The Wind”...or in this case “Gone is the Wind!!” - 1VDG Martin Rundle strikes a pose
(Left) : Andre Beneke, Kevin Ross, Denis Meyer, Rob Behrens and Stuart Charlton enjoying fellowship in the pub
(Right) : The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (not necessarily in that order! Andre, Kev and Martie having a boogie... High Stakes...or in this case “High Risk!!” PDG Denis strikes a pose!
North Durban Lions Organisers and Conveners of the Conference
Sheppie Lions entry, Melissa Morrison (Suid Natal Primary) was awarded 2nd place in the District Peace Poster Contest
Lion Pres Andre Receiving Award for I.T.
Reitz Lions Club
DG Heather & PDG Denis
Vryheid Lions Club
DG Heather & PDG Denis
Sierra Ranch Management & Staff
PDG Rob Behrens - The Instigator!
Lions Lorraine Scott (Durban South) with ManyAnn Neilson and Teresa Strachan (Scottburgh)
Cowies Hill Lions DC Ian Ping & PDG Stan Foley PDG’s Denis, Heather & Rob
PDG Debbie & PDG Denis Cabinet Treasurer Margaret & DC Alan Wilms
Lion Shirleen Ward (Cowies Hill) & Partner
The Music Man
Liewe Heksie
Fancy Dress Parade
Each Morning, Conference delegates awoke to a newsletter placed under the door of their rooms. This brilliant initiative provided them with coverage of the previous day’s events as well as the planned itinerary for the following day. Well done to Trevor Hobbs and Kim Van Wyk for this brilliant initiative!
A few of our members have had a tough month! First it was Gary Baker who had to undergo bypass surgery. He is recovering very well and appears to be back in action. Then it was Kelvin Hulley who suffered a mild heart attack. Luckily Anita had the presence of mind to jump on his chest (can you imagine!) and ended up literally saving his life!! Well done Anita - Kelvin has fully recovered and will soon be back on his bicycle soon! The next casualty was Richard Borradaile who had to be rushed to eThekwini Hospital in Durban with a blockage in his colon. Richard will be undergoing surgery in the new year. His biggest challenge was lying in the hospital bed without his ice cold beer! Fortunately he is back in action and, by all accounts appears to be recovering well. And finally our dear friend and colleague, Oom Pietie Van Niekerk, who is currently in CapeTown staying with his daughter. He had to undergo a hernia operation. The operation was a success and he, too is recovering well. A sure sign of the years catching up on us! Take good care of each other - we need you all for many more years to come!
a) District 410-C Convention : 21st - 23rd March 2014 (venue to be announced) b) District 410-C Training Weekend: 13th - 15th June 2014 : Highway Commando, Pinetown (hosted by Cowies Hill Lions Club) c) Special Olympics : 08th July - 11th July 2014 (this is taking place in PMB and they need a number of adults to supervise the athletes)
LION JUSTIN HINCHLIFF Married to : Michelle Children : 3 daughters - Shen, Nicky & Lauren, 1 son - Brett Occupation : Company Director Been a Lion since : 2012 Sponsored by : Lion Dale McGarry Greatest Lionistic Achievement : Attending the 2013 East London Convention Hobbies : Sports fanatic Bad Habits : Too easily influenced Anthony Hooper Your philosophy on life : Never turn your back on friends.
LION GARY BAKER Married to : Colleen Children : Son in the UK, Daughter in New Zealand and a Step Daughter who is still at home Occupation : Part time estate manager and caregiver in France Been a Lion since : 2010 Sponsored by : Lion Kelvin Hulley Greatest Lionistic Achievement : Working at the Lions Show Hobbies : The Bush and trips to Botswana Bad Habits : Having triple bypasses Your philosophy on life : Preserve of wildlife, stop animal poaching and protect mother nature.
The Sheppie Pride - Page 19 Port Shepstone Lions Club 2013-2014 Board Of Directors President : Andre Beneke Imm.Past President : Jean Masson Fundraising : Alastair Warman Service Projects : Jeff Smith House & Entertainment : Dale Mc Garry Secretary : Charles Wallis Treasurer : Richard Borradaile Membership : Kevin Ross Public Relations : Denis Meyer Bar Manager : Alister Love Lions Alert : Andre Beneke (Acting) Lion Tamer : Clayton Curnow Tailtwister : Barry Van Der Veen Lion Ladies President : Estelle O.Neill Lion Ladies Secretary : Anna Compion Lion Ladies Treasurer : Jane Massey Newsletter Editor : PDG Denis Meyer email : pro@sheppielions.co.za Web Site : www.sheppielions.co.za
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ion President Andre and Lion Alister recently visited S A Breweries in Port Shepstone to meet their new management and discuss future sponsorship options. District Manager, Mpho Maloka and Depot Manager Ntozokho Ntombela were delighted to accept an appreciation plaque which was presented to SAB in appreciation of the many years of sponsorship that they have provided to the Lions Show project.
DG Heather Hardman handed over new member kits to recently inducted Lions Ronald Tarboton and Norman Holmes during her recent visit to the Club. Apologies for the delay!
Club Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/PortShepst oneLionsClub Club Postal Address : P O Box 509 Port Shepstone 4240 Club Street Address : Lions’ Den Ambleside Road, Umtentweni
In appreciation for the food that was provided for the out riders at the recent “Ride for Rhinos”, Lion Kevin had to drink from the funnel naturally it was a walk in the park for him!