At the initial meeting, Lions members from
established clubs and local community members discussed a number of issues that
the club could focus on in Redfern-Waterloo.
Norma Ingram, of the Wyanga Aboriginal
Community Aged Care Program, suggested a possible project could be raising
funds for electric scooters at the centre. “Many of the elders find it
difficult to get around,” she said, “and scooters would help them when they are
shopping and moving about.” At a cost of around four thousand dollars per
scooter, she said it would be a worthwhile project for the Lions club to get behind.
The elderly population in the area is seen as
a significant group that the club could serve, and those at the meeting
expressed a number of ways that they could assist them. Possible projects included
creating a space where retired men could put their trade skills to work,
building toys for local children. Another proposal was to hold a Christmas
party for those who have to spend it alone.
Aside from helping the elderly, projects to
assist Aboriginal youth were also discussed, including sponsorship to help them
through school and employment forums to assist young people in getting jobs.
The Redfern-Waterloo Lions Club will be
supported by the well established Sydney Chinese Lions Club, based in
Haymarket. Sydney Chinese Lions president Anthony Cheung said at the meeting
that, if the new Redfern branch goes ahead with the plan to raise funds for the
scooters for Wyanga, the Sydney Chinese club will donate to the project.
[South Sydney Herald July 2006]