Sydney History the Beginnings
Following the formation of Australia’s first Lions club at Lismore on 1st July 1947 some five and a half years went by before the first Lions club was formed in Sydney. The history of District 201N5 may be said to have commenced when Sydney’s first Lions club was formed in December 1952.
The formation followed lengthy investigation by Bill Berge Phillips, a Sydney lawyer and Charles Copeland who had heard about ‘Lionism’ from Bill Tresise of Lismore. Tresise had sent Phillips pamphlets.
Phillips and Copeland, who were booked to travel abroad, studied the pamphlets and planned to carry out their own individual investigations into Lions and their activities whilst overseas. Bill Berge Phillips, a noted Australian swimmer and polo player, was travelling to the Helsinki Olympic Games where he officiated as member of the Jury of Appeal and Chief Judge of Appeal. Bill Copeland was travelling to the United States.
Whilst in Chicago he arranged to visit the Lions International headquarters and meet with Melvin Jones. Bill and Charles returned to Australia in September 1952 and decided to start a Lions club in Sydney.
A Canadian Lion, Gordon Smith came to Australia, as the ‘International Delegate’, from Chicago in October 1952.With the assistance of Gordon Smith, Bill and Charles arranged for the first meeting in Sydney to be held on 2nd December 1952 and at this meeting the decision to form a Lions club in Sydney was confirmed.
Although at that time there were eleven clubs in Australia with all except two being located in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.
The Lions of Sydney was the 12th Lions Club formed in Australia
Cronulla Lions 1965
The Cronulla Lions Club was chartered on 13th December 1965.
For over 50 years the Cronulla Lions have been serving the community.
Our major annual fundraiser is the Seafeast which commenced in 1984 at the Miranda RSL.
The Seafeast moved to Sharks and more recently Doltone House in Sylvania. The Seafeast consists of an afternoon of entertainment with a fantastic seafood feast and drinks, comedians, entertainers, and fundraising auctions and raffles. It is a fantastic day’s entertainment and is normally conducted in late May. The Lions Club also conducts an annual Golf Day at the Cronulla Golf Club. This is normally conducted during March
The Lions Club has supported many worthy causes with the most recent being
Sydney Children’s Hospital Eye Clinic – named the Lions Eye Clinic, the Cronulla Lions sponsored the building of the Eye Clinic bu raising through the Lions community around $1.1M. Cronulla Lions raised nearly $700K of this figure. Children from southern Sydney can now be treated at Randwick rather than needing to travel to Westmead. Cronulla Lions also make a contribution to vital equipment for the Lions clinic.
Sutherland Hospital Pediatric Ward – Cronulla Lions have purchased equipment over $200K to support the Pediatric Ward. This equipment has also allowed the Sutherland Hospital to treat children and newborn locally without them needing to be treated at the Sydney
Children’s Hospital in Randwick.
Australian Lions Children's Mobility Foundation – Cronulla Lions purchase a variety of walkers for children with disabilities to assist them in becoming mobile.
Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal – Cronulla lions chaperone local secondary student on the annual Red Shield Appeal doorknock.
Cronulla Lions support the wider Lions organization with funds to assist many initiatives including emergency relief in disaster areas across the world, cancer research, drug awareness, sight, and youth initiatives.
Cronulla Lions also assist people in the local community in need.
