Hope Lions Club holds annual Christmas banquet

By Rick Kennedy, managing editor
The Hope Lions Club held its annual Christmas banquet on Monday night with an estimated crowd of 50 persons at Hempstead Hall on the campus of UA Hope. Lion President Linda Clark presided over the ceremonies.
The night began with a dinner courtesy of Lions Sheba and Miko Smith, and singing performances by Lion Daulton Brewer and his family.
Lion 2nd Vice President Sheba Smith, who was the principal coordinator of this past weekend’s Lions Christmas Auction, announced the 2018 event raised $29,312 with donations still pending.
“I want to thank everyone for the effort we put into this auction; it was a great success. It could not have been done without each and everyone here,” she said.
In addition to Clark, Hope Lions Club officers in attendance also including 1st Vice President Nathan Gerth, 2nd Vice President Sheba Smith, 3rd Vice President Leon Prince, Secretary Doyle Brewer, and Treasurer Bobby Loe.
Hope Lion Claudia Griffin, who is also District Governor-elect, presented three awards on behalf of District Governor Don Draper.
“We have two fabulous clubs here. The Hope Lions Club is the largest in the state, and we have another club, the Evening Lions, that is large and healthy. When we go around the state, people can’t believe how well the Lions are doing in Hope, Arkansas,” she said.
Griffin said that two clubs in Arkansas received a General Excellence award with the Hope Lions Club being one of them. She presented the pin award to Lions Past President Daulton Brewer, who was president at the time of the nomination.
Griffin credited Doyle Brewer with providing the Lions information in the management system, so he received a Lions Patch. Griffin also presented Clark with a brand new 2019 Lions pin, making her one of the first to receive one.
The evening ended with the Lions tradition group singings of various Christmas songs.