Diamond Complete

THE DIAMOND IS COMPLETE

Four days from today the MAKING OF A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH will finally be completed. On Saturday, October the 14^th the Arnprior Lions Club will be celebrating their 60^th year in Arnprior. From September 9^th, 1946 when the Charter was issued and signed, until October 14^th has been a long winding road, and a story of great success for our Club. We hope that you have enjoyed reading the past 12 issues of what being a member Club of Lions International is all about, and what a Club like ours can do in the community they are associated with.

For the passed twelve months, with the assistance of The Arnprior-Chronicle Guide, who we are greatly appreciative of, you have read a brief history of how Lions was started, and a history of the Arnprior Lions Club. We have had many comments about some of the things that the Club has done recently and in the past. Unfortunately after all those years it was impossible to name everything the Club had been involved with. What we hope we have accomplished is to show a cross reference in each issue, to the majority of the projects and the helping of those in need that we were involved with. Nothing in a community like ours is ever too small, or if required , should be too large to overcome.

This is not to say that we could do everything that was mentioned in our past history by ourselves . There are many other great Service Clubs and Organizations in our community. Over the past years we have been proud to have been associated with them. When clubs unite in a small community anything can happen. We salute you, and hope to continue working with you whenever it may be required. We also hope that at some point you will take the time to show this community what you have also accomplished . Over the past sixty years our club has raised over $3 million dollars, with the majority of these funds used in all of our accomplishments in our

Service clubs like ours do not become involved in what we have mentioned in our history, for the publicity or the glory of it. Seldom is it publicized what all we have done. We do it simply, as for what our motto says, We Serve. The only reason that it is in the open now, is because of our 60^th anniversary. We have been asked many times, what does the Lions Club do? After 60 years maybe it is time everyone knows. Who knows, there may be other people out there who would like to help us serve over the next 40 years and write about our 100^th anniversary. Membership in the Lions Club is by invitation only, and we would be pleased to invite you to serve in your community, with us.

For those of you who have read all thirteen issues that have been in the Chronicle-Guide since October of 2005, we hope you have enjoyed this small part of the history of the Arnprior Lions Club, and also the history of some of the things that have happened in our community and surrounding areas itself. We thank you again for your comments and hope there are more of them. For those of you who have not read our history , we do hope that you hear about it from someone and do go back and read it. There are many things that have been mentioned that you may remember or may have been part of. Once again to The Arnprior Chronicle-Guide, we thank you for allowing us to do the 60^th anniversary of our Club, your staff have been tremendous.

We also would like to thank Mayor Terry Gibeau and council members for declaring the month of October, Arnprior Lions Club Month. As a club, we are extremely pleased and humbled by what you have done for us.

To all, who over 60 years have supported us, donated to us, bought our tickets, attended our Bingo and helped us with our many projects, we thank you and may God bless you. You make communities like ours a great place to live in. We hope you continue to support us in the future.

If the 35 original members who signed the Charter were still with us today , we feel confident that they would be extremely proud of what has happened to the Lions Club they formed in Arnprior that September 9^th day in 1946. Since that date many members have come and gone. All have done their part in some way to shape the Club into the organization that it is today. To the members who have passed away over the years, we take a moment to remember you, never will you be forgotten. For those who have left the Club for whatever reason we also offer you our thanks for the help in the forming our Club to what it is today. A future can only be as good as its past.

To the members who are still part of our club today, of whom some have been with us for over fifty years (our current President Dr. Doug Spaull) and have never refused to serve their community, we say thanks for your commitment and your leadership. Everyone should be proud to have been part of this Club.

What a great group of fellow Lions to be associated with. Be proud of yourself, your community and your Club. You certainly deserve it.