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Lions Clubs International - Lion Phil Nathan |
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Show you care, get involved, let's enjoy ourselves |
Past International Director Phil Nathan
International 2nd Vice President Campaign
LION Recognition Award
The first full weekend in May saw the holding of the 60th MD105 Convention, at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, N Ireland. We were delighted to welcome, as the principal guests, International President Sid Scruggs and Judy.
We were also pleased to welcome to Convention guests from France, Finland, Germany, Netherlands and Australia.
Like many Lions, I suspect, until about mid-day on Sunday 8th May the Lion Recognition Award was an award I had not heard of and had no knowledge of. At about that time International President Sid Scruggs, following his address to Convention, made a number of presentations and concluded by advising that he wished to make a personal award. In introducing the award the International President advised that the award is only given to Lions who have set themselves apart in a disaster relief effort, lifesaving endeavour, or a service activity deemed otherwise appropriate by the International President. Having prefaced the award, the President then described several of the previous recipients and the exceptional service they had undertaken that had led to them being nominated for the award the details and descriptions were moving, impressive, indeed, very humbling. The President went on to explain that there are a maximum of 75 awards available in each Lions year. A nomination letter, with a brief narrative outlining the respective achievements of the nominee, has to be submitted to the President’s office at Lions Clubs International headquarters.
The President has to approve each award personally. After the preamble, everyone in the room was wondering who in MD105 qualified for such a prestigious and exceptional Award. As the International President read the nomination, the first few sentences gave no clues, however when the words ‘Balkans’ and ‘Bosnia’ were used a buzz of anticipation went round the room as it became apparent and the roar that greeted the words ‘the Award is given to MD105’s Endorsed Candidate...PID Phil Nathan’ had to be heard to be appreciated.
I am sure Phil will not mind me saying that his response was, understandably, emotional and moved many others in the room to tears; everyone, and I do mean everyone, in the hall joined fully in the congratulations and acclamation.
When Convention ended Phil was ‘swamped’ by Lions wishing to congratulate him and take pictures of him and Heidi. The response was exceptional and uplifting, as everyone reflected on the Award and what it means to the Lions of the MD.
Philip Goodier
Campaign Committee Chairman.
PID Phil commented:
"I was humbled at being singled out as the first recipient in Europe and only the 10th in the world of this prestigious award but at the same time delighted that the work undertaken by the Lions Gift for Living Trust and the Lions of MD105 supported by NGO's such as LCIF had been recognised. It has been a privilege to know we have touched the lives of 1000's of babies and children over the last 15 years. So many emotional moments flashed through my memory as the International President started to narrow the direction that the award was heading and to have received it as his personal gift added even more to the moment".
