Turley Publications photo by Cristy Bertini

Thomas Kularski, Denis Legare and Donald Bourque. Kularski received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.

Lions Club honors members, local businesses

By Cristy Bertini

Turley Publications Correspondent

BROOKFIELD – The Brookfield Lions Club held their annual Melvin Jones – Joseph J. Camarda banquet at the Quail Hollow Country Club in Oakham on April 22.

Joseph J. Camarda was a past president and life-member of the Leicester Lions Club and past District Governor of Massachusetts Lions District 33A. He passed away in 2005.

Lions Club past District Governor and current President of the Sight and Hearing Conservation Treatment Fund, Inc., Denis Legare presented the Joseph J. Camarda Fellowship awards to North Brookfield Savings Bank, Hannaford Supermarket, Bay Path Golf Course and Varney’s Garage, Inc.

“These awards that we are giving out tonight are the highest awards that the district can bestow on a member, person or organization and it’s a real honor for me to come out for this.” Legare said.

The Lions Club is the only club that recognizes businesses or organizations that help them throughout the year.

The first Camarda award of the evening was presented to Gene Varney, President of Varney’s Garage, Inc.

Varney’s Garage is a family-owned bus transportation company, serving East Brookfield, North Brookfield, Spencer and Leicester for over 100 years. Varney’s Garage sponsors local youth centers and youth baseball and football leagues.

Gene is the Treasurer of School Transportation of Massachusetts. He served on the Rules and Regulations Committee for the Registry of Motor Vehicles for the safeties of vehicles for children with special needs. He is a sponsor and contributor for the Brookfield Lions Annual Ice Fishing Derby.

Jeffrey and Justyne Smith, owners of Bay Path Golf Course in East Brookfield, also received the Camarda award.

Jeffrey and Justyne are both members of the East Brookfield town decorating committee, Memorial Day committee and they have been sponsors and contributors of the Brookfield Lions Red Lee Memorial Golf Tournament for many years.

Store Manager, Dianne Lincoln received the Camarda award on behalf of Hannaford Supermarkets. Hannaford has donated to many local organizations, including North Brookfield youth sports, Friends of North Brookfield playground, local food pantries, Second-Chance Animal Shelter and Hearts for Heat.

Hannaford supports organizations focused on health and wellness, child development and hunger relief. Associates at the North Brookfield store have supported regional events to help raise funds for the American Heart Association.

Trustee Betsy Cuddy received the Camarda award on behalf of North Brookfield Savings Bank. The bank has been a sponsor of the North Brookfield Youth Center since its inception. They are a platinum sponsor of the Quaboag 350^th Anniversary Celebration and a benefactor of local hospitals, health centers and emergency squads.

The bank and its employees also donate time, equipment and funding to numerous other organizations that directly support the community.

Other charities that the bank supports include the Brookfield Lions Red Lee Memorial Golf Tournament, North Brookfield chapter of Hearts for Heat, Second-Chance Animal Shelter, scouting, Worcester 4-H program, Camp Putnam, Old Sturbridge Village and the Rock House Reservation.

Donald Bourque, Chairman of the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) of District 33, presented the Melvin Jones Fellowship Awards to Joseph Truhel and Thomas Kularski.

Truhel has been employed at the Quaboag Corporation and has been a member of the North Brookfield Fire Department for the past 25 years. He has been a member of the Sons of the Legion for one year and the Brookfield Lions Club for 10 years.

Kularski has been a Ware Police Officer for the past 25 years. He has participated in the Relay for Life cancer walk since 2002. He has participated in the Walk of Champions to raise money for the cancer unit at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital. Kularski managed animal control for 19 years, and found homes for over 100 dogs. He has been a member of the Brookfield Lions Club for 10 years.

Bourque read a letter from LCIF Chairperson, Al Brandel; “The Melvin Jones Fellowship award is named for Melvin Jones, Founder of Lions Clubs International. It is largely due to the growth of the fellowship program, that LCIF has been able to meet humanitarian needs in your communities and around the world. LCIF is able to continue and expand programs through the generous support of fellows such as yourselves. You should take great pride in knowing that you will impact so many lives both in your immediate community as well as across the globe.”

As Melvin Jones Fellows, Truhel and Kularski’s names will be added to the listing of all individuals in the program.

After the awards were presented, the club welcomed new member, Thomas Ruiz.

The Brookfield Lions Club was chartered in May of 1943 and has 38 members, including 24 Melvin Jones recipients and 25 Joseph J. Camarda recipients.

Lions dedicate themselves to community service and improvement. Their projects include eye and hearing screenings, diabetes awareness, scholarships, youth projects and fundraisers such as their annual fishing derby, golf tournaments and the apple run/walk.