Kildare woman recognised by Lions Club for humanitarian services

In the presence of current and former members of Newbridge Kildare Lions, Dr Adrian McGolderick, Club President presented Mrs Rose O’Loughlin with a Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, in recognition of her dedicated humanitarian service.

Lions clubs International founded by Melvin Jones in 1917, was first introduced into Ireland almost 70 years ago with the founding of Dublin Lions Club in 1955, and reached Newbridge Kildare 21 years later in 1976.

Newbridge Kildare Lions Club was founded in the Keadeen Hotel and was Chartered on 1 November that year under the presidency of the late Joe O’Loughlin.

Ever since that first meeting the O’Loughlin family have supported Lions through membership, sponsorship and with the very generous provision of facilities for the Club monthly meetings.

“When we think of humanitarian service, we tend to think of front-line workers helping feed, educate and provide health services to those less fortunate in far away,” said Dr McGolderick.

“But humanitarian service is also required much nearer home, and is not confined to front line efforts.

“In order for the front line to succeed there has to be enablers – the quiet providers, the people who facilitate and raise the funds necessary for the front line to function,” he said.

Over the years Newbridge Kildare Lions Club has aided local individual and families, provided long term benefits to the local community is the form of the Lions Counselling Room and contributions to the Family Resource Centres.

It has contributed to international efforts organised by the Lions Club International Fund such as Sight First, measles and polio eradication, and assistance to those effected by natural disasters.

The Club has also undertaken major multinational projects on its own like the assistance to Fr Dan Noud and the building of a girls’ second level school in Tanzania.

“None of this would have been achievable without the generous backing of the O’Loughlin family, and the highest award that may be conferred by Lions is the Melvin Jones Fellowship named after our founder,” said Dr McGolderick.

“It is very appropriate that the first Melvin Jones awarded by this Club was to our first President Joe O’Loughlin and that this evening we are here to honour Rose O’Loughlin, our benefactor and club member".