Greetings to all Lions and readers. 2023 is off to a roaring start. The Eyeglass Recycling Center reopened with volunteers collecting, sorting, lens checking, cleaning, and packaging in preparation for distribution medical mission trips around the world.
The month of January had several club events. Lions assisted with the Attend-Dance Rewards Program at Reaves Elementary School on Jan. 19 the lead by Lion Nicole Moon. On Jan. 23, Lion Connie Engle had her crew of Lions work a vision screening at the Community Assistance Center.
Conroe Noon collected 38 units of blood at our Winter Blood Drive on Jan. 25. Lion Jake Freeman served as committee chair. Next, our new member orientation was on Jan. 26. Then we held a Service Saturday project on Jan. 28. Lions spent the morning painting, installing shelves and panels, and assembling furniture. The committee chair is Lion Corey Moon.
Also on Jan. 28, 20-plus Conroe Noon Lions attended the Mid-Winter Conference and Bob Dowden Dinner at the Houston Marriott North Hotel and Conference Center. The MWC/BDD is a District 2-S2 (greater Houston) event and was coordinated by our own Lion Shelia Thomas. The dinner benefits the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville. Over $25,000 was raised through the dinner, silent and live auctions. A big highlight of the evening was four of our Lions receiving TLC Life Member Awards – Helen Thornton, Sheila Thomas, Tracy Irvine, and Charlie Irvine. Lion Wes also recognized Sharene Carr with a Jack Wiech Fellowship. Finally, there was quite a hullabaloo when the live auction concluded with Conroe Noon Lions buying back gavels lost by our Lion President, Warner Phelps. No doubt Lion Karl Johnson was the ringleader for the shenanigans.
If you haven’t already heard, our Annual Dinner, Dance, and Auction is next week on Feb. 16 at the Lone Star Convention Center. The theme is “A Lions Masquerade,” a black and white harlequin Mardis Gras event. Tickets are on for $125 per person through Feb. 8. It is always a memorable evening for Lions and guests.
Last weeks meeting had a delayed start. Seems President Warner Phelps could not call the meeting to order until his gavel was returned to him. Meanwhile District Governor, Lion Paul Moore, presented Lion Wes Carr with a Melvin Jones Fellow Award for many years of tireless work on the board of the Texas Lions Camp. Congrats Lion Wes! Finally, gavels were returned, and the meeting started with much of the usual jocularity.
Our program was the renowned author, producer, and director of a local movie company, Sam Cable of Walker-Cable Productions. Chuck Walker was also in attendance. Cable was born and raised in Conroe and taught for nearly 40 years at Conroe High School. Sam, as he prefers to be called, shared some amusing anecdotes with the Lions. One instance, he and Chuck were out in Los Angeles, and he found himself in a conversation with an actress who asked if he was a producer. Sam confidently replied yes and then asked she had been in any movies he might have seen. The actress replied, “you may have seen me in the Police Academy movies, my name is Leslie Easterbrook.” Sam, of course had seen the series of comedic movies and felt embarrassed for not recognizing her. Ms. Easterbrook has starred in several Walker-Cable productions, as well as Eric Braedon, better known as Victor Newman of the Young and the Restless. Sam also knew and visited the late Sonny Bono, of Sonny and Cher fame. Other well-known actors appearing in their films include George Kennedy, Lorenzo Lamas, and Daniel Baldwin. Walker-Cable’s production,
The Man Who Came Back,
starring Braeden remains the highest international release of any film. Their most recent project is called
The Author, written by Sam’s son Ritchey Cable. The movie has been picked up Lionsgate for distribution. Sam also said they are looking to start a made for television series about Conroe. Best wishes for Sam and Chuck in their movie ventures.
If you are not a Lion but are looking for an organization that embodies “We Serve,” then visit on Wednesdays, noon, at the Lone Star Convention Center. For more information about the Conroe Noon Lions Club, please visit our website, www.conroenoonlions.org, or call the local club office at 936-760-1666.
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