A Convention To Remember
Part 2 – The Business Session
As the weekly market set up on Saturday morning in Malton Market Place, The Milton Rooms had been transformed from a Dickensian experience into the venue for the business session which is the essence of a Lions District Convention. The team of helpers were on site from 7:00am and were ready for the arrival of the first delegates at around 8:30am with the business session starting with the opening ceremony at 9:15 and timed to conclude at 4:00pm.
The Sergeant at Arms – Lion Mike Rogers from Consett Lions Club – directed the meeting and kept the delegates in order throughout with Malton Lion John Hazelwood at the sound board in the background.
Harmonia Ladies Choir conducted by Alison Davies performed two pieces during the opening ceremony, Scarborough Fair as Malton Mayor Councillor Joan Lawrence was escorted in by Malton Lions President Lion Richard Lukey and the traditional spiritual Dry Bones once convention had been opened.
During his introduction to Mayor Joan, Lion Richard made mention of Joan’s missing daughter Claudia Lawrence. He asked everyone to look at Claudia’s picture in case it jogged any memories that may help the new police investigation into her disappearance which was launched by North Yorkshire Police a couple of weeks ago.
During her speech that opened convention Mayor Joan talked about her links to both Darlington and Malton Lions and the strong sense of community in Malton and Norton. In the picture below she is flanked by District Governor Lion Chris Southworth from Aberdeen and our guest, Past International Director Lion Bud Wahl from Illinois in the USA.
It is traditional in Lions that if a member transgresses they pay a small fine which is levied by the Tail Twister. For convention the Tail Twister was District Treasurer Lion Peter Milburn from Mid-Tyne Lions Club, who took great delight in picking up the Lion and fining District Governor Lion Chris who introduced all the guests at convention but forgot about his wife!
A traditional part of any Lions Convention is the flag ceremony when the flags of the host nation and the international guest’s home country enter the auditorium and the national anthems are sung. In The Milton Rooms six scouts, three each from Malton and Norton carried the Union Flag and the Stars and Stripes into the hall.
A number of Malton and Norton Lions attended the opening ceremony including (l to r) Lions John Manchester, Malcolm Anderson, Peter Grice and Bill Thompson.
Lions Clubs across the world are governed by a set of objectives and a code of ethics. Malton and Norton Lion Nick Simpson read the code of ethics at the start of convention.
After the opening ceremony Mayor Joan left and the business session began with reports from District Officers and about all the projects Lions are involved in which include youth projects, health projects and environmental projects. District Governor Lion Chris on his Facebook page wrote:
“Saturday at Convention was the Business Session with excellent external speakers from Wilf Ward Trust on disability action and social care, then from Marie Curie Cancer Care on the Lions-Marie Curie partnership. Very motivational key note speech from our International Guest, Past International Director Bud Wahl from Illinois.”
During the afternoon session Malton Lion Deborah Burton was presented with an International President’s pin by the International guest Lion Bud Wahl in recognition of the fact she was the newest member of Lions at Convention having joined just over a year earlier.
