The club, which with 58 members is the largest Lions club in the district, wants to get in touch with former Lions and younger members of the community, Taree or Wingham, who may be interested in joining them.

President Di Brooker wants the club to grow and she encourages the younger generation to consider joining Lions and bring along their energy and ideas. 

The meeting will be held at Wingham Memorial Services Club on Tuesday, July 17. Phone president Di Brooker on 0422 462 588 or Allen Lenton on 0419 148 113 for details.

Taree Lions support many organisations in the Manning, including the hospital children’s and maternity wards, Can Assist, PCYC, the women’s refuge, Ronald McDonald House, Bushland Health Group and Camp Quality. They also organise Tastefest on the Manning and Christmas concerts for the community.

One of the club’s main fundraisers is the trivia night being held at Club Taree on August 11. In the past 10 years this event has raised more than $80,000 for Bushland Health. Tickets are selling well and Allen Lenton can be contacted on 0419 148 113 for bookings.

Lions members run the canteen at Taree’s Hub markets, man the gate at the Manning Valley Race Club’s race meetings and help with catering the Rotary’s annual youth driver awareness courses.

At Christmas they hold ham ‘chocolate wheels’ in Taree shopping centres and their Christmas raffle has raised $150,000 in the past 20 years.

The club raised funds for Lions Save Sight, sells Christmas cakes and Lions mints, recycles spectacles for people in third world countries and collect stamps for overseas humantarian causes.

They also manage Andrews Reserve, also known as Lions Park, at Taree West and recently installed two gas barbecues at the park.