AMBOY – At the July 8 Amboy Lions Club meeting, Lion David Kemp received a Membership Advancement Award. Excellent Service pins were awarded to Lions Roger Wittenauer, Curtis Harrison, Jim Travi, Larry Eisenberg, Dennis Marsili, Jake Leffelman, Edy Pfeiffer and Jeff Lilja.

Awards and recognition were also given at the July 22 meeting in front of approximately 75 members and guests. The club honored the seven scholarship recipients and their families with a very nice dinner prepared by the Lions members. This is the 16th consecutive year that the Club has annually awarded scholarships to Amboy High School graduating seniors. The 2019 recipients are Dorian Barlow, Emma Bickett, Bailee Highbarger, Savannah Ikens, Clayton Kemp, Rachel Lachat and Kelsey Stewart.

Lion Kemp was presented the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. This is one of the highest awards given to a Lions Club member. This award is named for Jones who founded Lions Club International in 1917 and the award is presented to members worldwide for exemplary humanitarian service. Kemp has been an active member for six years. During this time, he has served as president, and has been active in club events, projects, and fundraising activities.  Kemp was very instrumental in organizing the Leo Club two years ago at Amboy High School.  The Leo Club has more than 20 members this year. This is a very well-deserved award.

In other club news, Lion Travi is heading up a committee to investigate a Depot Days Bags Tournament for 2020. Other committee members include Lions Perry Braida, Jim Child, and Mark Grossman. The tentative plan is to hold a Bags Tourney on Saturday of Depot Days weekend. Possible times and locations are being investigated.

Lion Craig Walter has asked the club to look into the cost of repairing the tennis courts at Amboy High School. Many years ago, the Amboy Lions Club put these courts in and the school district agreed to maintain them. A committee has been formed including Lions Braida, Travi and Marsili to look into the cost of this project.

The Amboy Lions recently purchased plants for the Amboy Welcome signs. Lion Travi planted and maintains these signs. The Welcome signs should be very colorful by Depot Days.

The club has purchased an AED (defibrillator) for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Sublette. A date for training on the use and operation of the AED has yet to be set. The training will be open to the public. This is the third AED the club has purchased and placed in the community this year and the fifth unit overall.

The next upcoming event for the club will be the Amboy Depot Days Parade on Aug. 24.  The Amboy Lions have sponsored and organized this event for the past more than 30 years. This years’ parade theme is Service Is Golden and the Parade Marshall will be Bill Burke. Look for an article about Burke and his service to the community in an upcoming Amboy News publication. Entry forms for the parade can be found on the Amboy Lions Club Facebook page and website. Forms can also be picked up at City Hall.

The Amboy Lions Club Drawdown will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Amboy Community Center. This is one of the club’s major fundraisers to help support the many community projects that the club is involved in. There will only be 200 tickets sold. Contact a Lions Club member to get your ticket and attend this fun-filled evening.