Westfield Lions celebrate 96 years of service with Anniversary Dinner & awards

By JEFF LARRISON
Westfield Lions Club

The Westfield Lions Club celebrated 96 years of service to the community on Oct. 1 with its annual Anniversary Dinner, recognizing several members for their outstanding contributions to the club and the community.

Twenty-seven Lions received Perfect Attendance pins at the meeting, including Ted Engelbrecht, who was recognized for 55 years of perfect attendance, and Bob Benson, who has achieved an impressive 57 years.

Joel Davis was awarded a Richard Miyamoto Fellowship for his dedicated service to the club and the community. The award is named in honor of Dr. Richard Miyamoto, renowned for his work in audiology and speech and language pathology. The fellowship was presented by Past District Governor Eric Schuman, a trustee for the Indiana Lions Speech & Hearing Project.

Eric Schuman and Joel Davis, who won the Miyamoto Fellowship. (Photo provided by Westfield Lions Club)

Lions Bill Nesbitt and Dr. Kathleen Busby received the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Fellowship for their volunteer efforts involving vision screening of elementary school students and collaborating with the club to provide eye exams and glasses for those in financial need.

Jeff Larrison and Bill Nesbitt, who received the ISBVI Fellowship. (Photo provided by Westfield Lions Club)

Jeff Larrison and Dr. Kathleen Busby, who received the ISBVI Fellowship. (Photo provided by Westfield Lions Club)

The Mark Hallett Memorial “First Responders Award” was presented to Lions Jacqui and Dennis Lloyd. The award recognizes new and newer Lions who have been quick to answer the call to service, going above and beyond in fulfilling the Lions Club motto, We Serve.

The award was established in memory of Lion Mark Hallett, a retired fire fighter who passed away unexpectedly in 2025. Although Mark was a new Lion, he made an immediate impact on the club through his hard work and willingness to serve others.

The Melvin Jones Fellowship, one of the highest honors in Lions Clubs International, was presented to Carrie Larrison. Carrie was recognized for her extensive service to the club, including volunteering at numerous events and projects, recruiting several new members, and serving the community.

The Roy O. Hadley Lion of the Year Award was presented to Linda Hallett. Linda’s hard work on the Club’s Golf Outing Committee was instrumental in the success of this year’s event. She has also recruited numerous members into the club and regularly volunteers at club events and projects.

In addition to the awards presentation, Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt provided the Lions with an update on several major developments taking place throughout the county. He discussed several infrastructure projects in the works and provided an update on the County’s flood recovery efforts.

About the Westfield Lions Club
The Westfield Lions Club was founded in 1930 and has been serving Westfield and the citizens of Hamilton County for 96 years. The club is always looking for men and women who are interested in stepping up to serve others and make a difference in their community. For more information about the Westfield Lions Club and how to become a member, visit westfieldlions.org.