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This Week’s Issue

60 years of building the community

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Published on

September 2, 2025

Whitianga Lions Club Inc will be celebrating its 60th Charter Anniversary late September.

Members of the Lions Club.

In September 1965, several local men attended a meeting at the then fire station that resulted in the formation of the Whitianga Lions Club.

Now, some 60 years later, the club is about to celebrate its 60th Charter Anniversary on Sunday 28th September at the Mercury Bay Club. Over the years the club has had some 254 members. Until 1976, the membership was only men, but in that year, women were welcomed into the club. Currently the club has some 27 members of which 5 are women.

Some of the most significant things the club has done over the years were:-

• Raising the money and purchasing the old dairy company, which today is the Mercury Bay Museum. Raising the funds to provide Xray services for the community,

• Building the original children’s playground next to the wharf at no cost to the ratepayers,

• Surveying and developing a number of walks like Paul’s Hill to Sailors Grave, from Ferry Landing to Flaxmill bay via Whitianga Rock.

• Most recently, thanks to the generosity of the community, $350,000 towards the provision of a 3D mammogram facilities in Mercury Bay raising the money jointly with the Mercury Bay Lions Club.

In total, the club has raised and distributed over $5,000,000 in facilities and benefits to the community.

Past members and supporters are welcome to join the festivities and for further information contact Gordon Barnaby secretary at either whitianga@lionsclubs.org.nz or Phone 07 866 2433.