Successful 2015 Lions' Show

It was another successful Lions' Show this year, with R1,460.00 being raised for Second Chance Avian Rescue thanks to Doug & Angie Butcher; Margaret Jones, Vic & Kay Neilson, Herbert Osborne, Michelle Pearson, Andy Ruffle, Irma Smook and Willie & Wilna van Zyl.

Michelle showing off her Booby
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

''Booby'', the Red-footed Booby, was in attendance on the Saturday and certainly drew lots of interest. On Sunday, Michelle brought a sub-adult Swift Tern.

Herbert presents Michelle with R1,460.00
raised by this year's volunteers
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Many thanks go to the usual few members (and non for that matter) who made the effort to volunteer to man the stand.
Once again, we have to give a huge thanks to Herbert for constructing the stand. Thanks also to Barrie Willis who came along to help on Thursday morning.

Trogons at the Lions' Outdoor & Leisure Expo 2014

Text and photos by Andy Ruffle (unless credited)

This year the show was held at the Port Shepstone Country Club and this proved to be an excellent venue.

Herbie, Eric, Vaughan, Andy & Siyabonga set up the stand on the Thursday morning.

Eric, Vaughan, Herbie and Siyabonga
setting up the stand on Thursday morning

and by the end of the morning
there were just a few finishing touches needed

The basic theme for the stand was broadly based on the BLSA Bird of the Year, the Tristan Albatross.
Our message ''Please keep our rivers, sea and beaches clean - Rubbish Kills!!' was excellently conveyed through Herbie's concept of depicting a pristine beach (on the left) and a polluted beach (on the right).

Thanks to the volunteers (Vic & Kay Neilson, Margaret Jones, Irma Smook, Doug Butcher, Willie & Wilna van Zyl, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Herbie Osborne, Andy Ruffle) who manned the stand, we had a very successful show again.

Vic & Kay were the first on duty on Friday morning

Margaret Jones & Irma Smook

Saturday lunchtime, Herbie & Andy were called to go to the main stage in the outdoor arena, where Trogons were presented third prize for indoor stand.

Our prize certificate proudly displayed on the stand.
The spelling was corrected later.

A chuffed Herbie & Andy
(photo taken by Doug Butcher)

Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Doug Butcher, Andy Ruffle
& Herbie Osborne(photo taken by Luke from Wild 5 Oribi)

Herbie, Doug, Wilna & Willie van Zyl

Many, many thanks to all the volunteers who erected, manned and dismantled the stand. We say it every year (and it is so true), we could not do this show without you.

A special thanks goes to Herbie for all the time and effort put in to making the stand happen. Well done Herbie. The prize was well deserved.

Finally, an unusual treat on Saturday evening was the appearance of these two beautiful mermaids on our stand. I just couldn't resist the photo.

Yes, they are real mermaids:):)

Report- Lions' Show 28th-30th June 2013

By Andy Ruffle

This year's stand with a 'bird 'hide' theme.
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Another reasonably successful Lions’ Show has come and gone for Birdlife Trogons.

This year, the show was sadly hampered by torrential rain on Thursday night, which rendered the show ground a quagmire. The Lions’ volunteers did a sterling job of trying to salvage the show, bringing in 30 large truck loads of sawdust to make the walkways passable. However, visitors through the gate definitely seemed low, probably as a result of ‘social networking’.

The inclusion of a colouring in competition
gave a large display area
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

We were pleased with the outcome of the children’s colouring in competition, with 24 entries ranging from 2yrs old to 12yrs old. Hopefully, this will have inspired some budding artists and birders of the future. Three R50.00 main prizes were sponsored by Lions’ Port Shepstone.

Waltons Port Shepstone supplied the crayons with a large surplus which can be used as supplementary prizes. Sponge Bob Creche, Port Shepstone kindly supplied the tables and chairs. So a big thank you to them all.

(Photos Andy Ruffle)

Our participation in the show gives us good exposure and has brought in some more ‘friends’ and few rand for the club.

Herbie’s inspirational idea of using a bird hide as a theme to the stand worked extremely well.

We can’t thank him enough for the time and effort he puts in to creating a stand we can all be proud of.

We mustn’t forget the members who volunteered their time to man the stand. Without them this would not be possible. So to Liz Blomeyer, Doug Butcher, David Halle, Margaret Jones, Vic & Kay Neilson, Hazel Parry, Noeleen Phillips, Irma Smook, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Willie & Wilna van Zyl, a HUGE thank you.

Trogons at the 2012 Lions' Show

(Photo Andy Ruffle)

A rather quiet show this year for some reason, but still very worthwhile for Trogons to attend.
17 new 'friends' were signed up and a few rand in donations for books etc, taken.

This year the conservation stands were all put together, which worked very well and enabled the various NGO's to interact with each other.

Thanks Liz, Margaret, Doug, Angie, Herbie, Jeanette, Mike, Vic and Andrew for manning the stand.
A very special thanks goes to Herbie Osborne for erecting and dismantling the stand for us again. Herbie you're a star.

Trogons at the Lions' Show 15th-17th July 2011 **UPDATED

Well another successful Lions' Show for Trogons has come and gone.

Despite the late decision to display books etc on the stand, we managed to raise a good sum for club funds, a superb result.

Ofcourse, this would not have been possible without things to display, so once again thanks to those members & 'friends' who donated items.

Special thanks go to (in alphabetical order) Liz Blomeyer, Doug & Angie Butcher, Lennart Erikkson, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Evelyn Heunis, Dave Halle, Margaret Jones, Vic Neilson, Herbie & Jeanette Osborne, Irma Smook, Ron & Elaine Whitham for offering their time to man the stand.

A huge extra thank you to Herbie who again did an excellent job building the stand even though he was battling with a nasty cold.

I'm so pleased with the result, that I think this is definitely something we must consider for the future, so please keep any surplus 'birdy and general wildlife' items, that are no longer wanted, rolling in. We will certainly make use of them.

Andy Ruffle