Foundation's Honour and Award Scheme
Support the Foundation’s Honour Award Scheme by nominating Lions, non-Lions, businesses, corporations and organisations (other than Lions, Lioness or Leo Clubs) to receive a personally inscribed and individually numbered award plaque, a certificate, and a distinctive lapel pin which are available in the following categories:
Professor Frank Billson Platinum Honour Award
Phil Bower Diamond Honour Award
Keith Small Gold Honour Award
Neville Tucker Silver Honour Award
Harry Hession Bronze Honour Award
Life Governor Award
Life Member Award
Professor Frank Billson Platinum Honour Award
May be awarded in recognition of donations of $2,500.
Professor Frank Billson, Foundation Professor of Ophthalmology since 1978, was a Director of the Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, from 1985 until his retirement in 2008.
As foundation Director of the Save Sight Institute, he was responsible for the formation of fundraising for the commissioning of a laboratory, and recruiting over 50 scientists and support staff for this facility. The Institute has attracted extensive research grants from the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation and national and international sources including government, industry, and support from the community. A new laboratory was commissioned in 1997 which is amongst the most modern and best equipped in Australia.
He was the Director of the Lions NSW Eye Bank and a member of the staff of the Sydney Eye Hospital and both children’s hospitals in NSW. He is Hospitaller for Australia serving the Order of St John and the Jerusalem Eye Hospital and was instrumental in the establishment of outreach programs with St John Ambulance Australia, working with Aboriginal communities in Katherine NT and Dubbo NSW.
His enthusiasm and leadership are seen in his international commitments to the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, where he was the first Chairman of the West Pacific Region and has worked in the Asia Pacific Region for more than 20 years. His work in Bangladesh led to the establishment of the Chair of Clinical Ophthalmology in the University of Chittagong, building an eye hospital and training complex and developing a program to train eye doctors and paramedics for eight base hospitals throughout Bangladesh. He has also helped develop ophthalmic training programs in Sri Lanka, India, China, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Solomon Islands and Eye Banks in China and Vietnam.
In November 2003, he was awarded the International Blindness Prevention Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is an Officer of the Order of Australia and was the first recipient of the Weary Dunlop Asia Medal “for selfless leadership in the service of both his profession and his country”. In 1995, he was made a Life Governor of the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation and is an Honorary Lion.
Recipients of the Professor Frank Billson Platinum Honour Award
Phil Bower Diamond Honour Award
NEW
Keith Small Gold Honour Award
May be awarded in recognition of donations of $1,000.
Keith Small joined the Lions Club of Wewak PNG in June 1970. In 1971, he transferred to the Lions Club of Cabramatta and in 1984 he transferred to the Lions Club of Green Valley. He was District Governor of District 201B in 1978-79.
He was first elected as a Director of the Foundations in 1979 and served with distinction until 1999 when he stood down due to ill health. During his 20 years as a Director, he served a number of terms as Secretary and Treasurer of the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation, Treasurer of the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Public Health Care Foundation, Chairman of the Personality Quest Committee and Grant Secretary. He was involved in the investigation committee that led to the formation of the Lions NSW Eye Bank and served on its Management
Committee continuously until 1999. He also served a number of terms on the Council of the Save Sight Institute.
In 1999 he received the Commonwealth Government Seniors Award. He was the recipient of two International President’s Certificates and one International President’s Award and was made a Life Member of Lions in 1990, a Life Governor of the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation in 1991 and a Melvin Jones Fellow in 1995. He died in 2000.
Neville Tucker Silver Honour Award
May be awarded in recognition of donations of $500.
Neville Tucker joined the Lions Club of Brookvale in 1964. Within two years, he had been elevated to the Executive of the Lions Multiple District Council as National Treasurer, a position that he was to hold with great distinction for 23 years. He was highly respected for his professional expertise and dedication to his position of Treasurer and to Lionism in general by all with whom he was associated.
Over the years, he received many awards and recognitions as a result of his work for Lions, chief among them being the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in January 1989, three International President’s Medals and the most prestigious Lions Award of all the Ambassador of Goodwill Medal, only the fourth Australian Lion so honoured.
He introduced the Lions standard accounting system in Australia and also adapted the Objects of Lions Clubs International for use in Australia to take advantage of Australian Taxation Laws, but perhaps his greatest achievement was the idea to establish the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation and his work in the formation of the Foundation. He died in 2002.
Harry Hession Bronze Honour Award
May be awarded in recognition of donations of $250.
Harry Hession joined the Lions Club of Kempsey in 1961. He was the District Governor of District 201D in 1973-74 when the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation was formed and was one of the original signatories to the formation documentation and led his District into participation in the Foundation. He served continuously as a Director until 1980.
He was widely respected as a “hands on” Lion and one of his outstanding achievements was to organise and lead his Club in the building of a house in Kempsey which was sold and the profit used to establish a local Lions Disaster Fund.
He was a made a Life Member of Lions Clubs International in 1977, awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship in 1991 and made a Life Member of the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation. He died in 1992.
Life Governor and Life Member Awards
Promote the Life Governor and Life Member Award Schemes among the business and corporate sector.
LIFE GOVERNOR
Donation $10,000.00
LIFE MEMBER
Donation $5,000.00
Club and Corporate Donations
Make a donation of any size to either or both Foundations from the Club’s activity fund. Seek bequests and personal and corporate donations. Donations of $2.00 and over are tax deductible.
“SUPPORT LIONS’ OWN CHARITIES FIRST”
Donations Received Recently
On behalf of the Chairman and Board of Directors of the Foundations we acknowledge and express our sincere appreciation for the generous donations recently received (Go to Acknowledgement List). It is only with the support of these generous donations that the Foundations are able to function and continue to provide the many and varied grants related to Sight and Public Health Care.
100% Participating Club Scheme
Support the annual 100% Participating Club scheme by donating the equivalent of $10.00 per member to either or both Foundations and receive an embroidered patch for the club banner in the first year and an embroidered financial year tab to add to it each subsequent year the club qualifies.
Sell Raffle Tickets
Sell tickets in the annual Lions Eye & Health Car Raffle. Clubs selling a minimum of $400.00 worth of tickets qualify to claim a 25% rebate on the full face value of their ticket sales to go into their activities account and be used however the club determines. The 25% rebate can also be reserved to go towards the purchase of future Honour Awards.