After two years at the helm, Grant Membrey has handed over Murrumbateman Lions Club Presidency to Alex Schultz-Altmann.
Typically presidential terms at the Lions Club only last the one year, but with 2020 being the year that it was, Grant doubled up.
“The president just steers the ship really, and we have a very good club and run along very well with each other, and it’ll be very easy to run for the next president because everyone does their job very well,” he said.
Whilst he is stepping down, Grant in no way thinks he’ll be any less involved with the Lions Club and aiding the community of Murrumbateman.
“I have a finger in a lot of pies here in Murrumbateman and I keep an eye on a whole bunch of different stuff.”
In terms of his proudest achievements as president, Grant said the grand fundraising events that the Lions Club typically run were limited throughout his tenure due to the pandemic. Still, his greatest pride comes from the increase in membership, an increase he’d like to see continue moving forward.
“Coronavirus has made things a bit flat, but I think our running of the ANZAC Day ceremony this year was very well done.”
“We had four new members join the club, which is always important for a club to get members in.”
“We’ve got to keep trying to get the membership up and I’d like to maybe look into a Leo Club which is a younger person club,” he said.
Grant has now spent 17 years with the Lions Club and remains as satisfied as ever, by the work he does with them.
“As a Lions Club we look into how we fundraise and how we then decide to use that money within our community.”
“We had a house burnt down the other day so we helped them financially. Kids wanting to go interstate or overseas for sporting events, we can help them get there, we go around to old people’s houses and clean up their garden for them.”
“It’s so satisfying to be able to help someone else who’s struggling or needs something, and know that you put the work in to achieve that,” he said.
The Murrumbateman Lions Club is always looking for more members. Speaking from his personal experience, aside from the obvious benefit to the people they help, Grant says it also presents the perfect opportunity to meet other like-minded people within the community.
“I moved to Murrumbateman about 18 years ago and I’d been there six months and was just trying to find my feet. I asked my father-in-law who lived out at Bowning, ‘how do you meet people?’ and he said ‘join the Lions Club’,”
“Back then it was mostly people who’d been in Murrumbateman a long time, so their connection to Murrumbateman was enormous and I met so many people so quickly,” said Grant.
Congratulations to Grant for what in no doubt was a difficult period to be a president of any community group, let alone one that people within the community rely on.
Max O’Driscoll
