Lindsay and Nelda Jones Honored

The Sanford Lions Club held its annual Valentine Ladies’ Night Thursday, Feb. 11, and honored a couple who for many years has led in the planning and making possible memorable nights for others in the service club.

Lindsay and Nelda Jones were crowned the King and Queen of Hearts for the 2010 banquet. Jones, assisted by his wife of 56 years, has long chaired the Lions Special Events Committee planning outstanding themes and decorations for several ladies’ nights each year, including the Valentine event. But this year it was the Joneses’ turn to be escorted to the throne and showered with crowns, roses, and candy in heart-shaped boxes as cameras flashed.

Preston Spence chaired this year’s banquet saying it was an honor for the club to recognize Lindsay and Nelda since their past hard work had brought so much joy to other couples in the club. Bob and Anne Edens escorted the king and queen to their seats of honor as the more than one hundred people present rose to their feet in applause.

A 36-year veteran Lion, Jones also chairs the Christmas Cheer project presenting holiday gift baskets to needy blind and sight impaired citizens in the community. He is a leader in recruiting volunteers from among friends and neighbors for the annual Lee Regional Fair where he works in the Lions Kitchen. As an expert woodcraftsman, Jones has made many unique items such as gavels, tables and other things for the club and to auction for charity.

He owns Benefit Brokers Group which offers many types of insurance. But music was his first love as he earned a degree in music from East Carolina University in the 1950’s and was a public school music teacher for15 years. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1953-56 as a member of the 3^rd Army Headquarters Band performing on some of the world’s biggest stages including the Ed Sullivan television show. And as a Lion some years ago, he led The Hungry Five band, a group of Lions whose rusty musical talents weren’t quite up to Jones’ standards, but nonetheless provided some rip-roaring entertainment at club events.

Lindsay and Nelda have two daughters, Lisa Childress of Fuquay-Varina and Lori Saubers of Sunset Beach, and three grandchildren. They are members of First Baptist Church.

The Campbell University Voices, a student choral group under the direction of Dr. Phillip Morrow, presented an outstanding program of appropriate love songs and show tunes. Lion Clyde Rhyne was recognized for recently being honored at Campbell with a Lifetime Trustees Award, thus the Campbell Voices’ appearance had special meaning. President Richard Hendley presided at the banquet while Bob Hughes gave the invocation and Bill Schubert led the Pledge of Allegiance.

U.S. Census Workers Are Needed

The work of U.S. Census takers this year will determine how and where 400 billion dollars in federal funds are distributed over the next decade and the number of U.S. representatives entitled by each state’s population. And applications for Census workers are now being accepted according to George Wilberg, a recruiter in Lee County.

Wilberg addressed the Sanford Lions Club Thursday, Feb. 4, describing the application process and requirements of U.S. Census workers, or enumerators, as they are known now. Those selected for the temporary jobs will be paid $13.50 per hour and fifty-cents per mile for mileage. Persons must be 18 years of age, complete an application, have proper identification, pass a background check, and satisfactorily complete an employment test.

The U.S. Census Bureau will begin mailing questionnaires to citizens in March. A second mailing will follow to those who do not respond and those who fail to reply after the second attempt will be visited by enumerators. Persons interested in these temporary jobs are urged to contact the regional offices at 1001 S. Fayetteville St, Asheboro, NC 27203, or call 866-861-2010. The speaker was introduced by program chairman Roy Cashion.

In other business, club members heard a recommendation from Tony Williams that members begin collecting Campbell Soup labels for the North Carolina Lions Foundation. They are sent to the N.C. School for the Deaf which in return receives funds from Campbell Soup Co. to purchase supplies. It was noted that many churches and organizations also collect soup labels, but Williams said Lions and their friends who do not already do so could join in this project.

Lions were also encouraged to promote the club’s tasty hamburgers and hotdogs from its Lee Regional Fair kitchen by casting votes for them in the annual “Best of Lee County” contest sponsored by The Sanford Herald. The Lion’s Kitchen juicy burgers and dogs are the talk of the town at fair time and deserve such recognition, members agreed. President Richard Hendley presided and Ismael Rivera led the Pledge of Allegiance. Tommy Mann, Jr., delivered the invocation.

2009 Was A Good Lions Year

The Sanford Lions Club conducted an annual business session at its weekly dinner meeting Thursday, Jan. 28, at the fairgrounds. Treasurer John Burns presented a report to club members which included a PowerPoint presentation illustrating the club’s financial status over the past year.

Burns reported that 2009 was a successful year as the club was able to meet all its obligations to Lions International, the North Carolina Lions Foundation, and to many local programs aiding the blind and hearing impaired and youth. Blessed with good weather and outstanding community support, the club’s largest annual fundraiser—the Lee Regional Fair—was a success.

The annual Lions Golf Tournament was also successful as was the Branch Club’s Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, facility rentals, and several other projects, proceeds from which went to charitable causes.

The club sent over $10,000 to the Lions White Cane projects for the blind and sight impaired and over $3,500 went to help disadvantaged local citizens obtain eye exams, glasses, hearing aids for the hearing impaired and other needs for those with sight and hearing problems. Lions contributed over $4,000 to make Christmas a little happier for the needy in our community in addition to more than $2,000 for youth at the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina. And $1,500 in need-based college scholarships were awarded to students going to both four-year colleges and Central Carolina Community College. Almost $2,000 sent a half-dozen sight impaired local residents to the Lions’ Camp Dogwood on Lake Norman for a fun summer experience.

Burns outlined several maintenance projects needed at the Sanford Lions Fairgrounds in preparation for the 2010 Regional Fair. Tops on the list are some major renovations of the club’s midway kitchen and refreshment building to meet codes. Maintenance and upkeep of the club’s 52-acres and its five structures is a big job overseen by the club’s officers, board of directors, along with Lion David Thomas who is facility director and Lion Ronnie Turner who is fair director.

President Richard Hendley presided over the meeting and thanked Burns for an outstanding report. Hal Siler delivered the invocation and Bucky Phillips led the Pledge of Allegiance.