IT WAS a night for reflection, a night for celebration and a night to look to the future for the Rosewood Lions as they and their many guests toasted the Club’s 50th anniversary.

Head of the organising committee, Lion Dennis Kenyon, said almost 100 people gathered in the Rosewood Bowls Club house to mark the milestone.

“Our celebration was made very memorable by their attendance,” he said.

“It was a resounding success with members from other clubs in the Zone, Boonah, Beaudesert and Harrisville; past members of the Rosewood club from Laidley, Logan West, Mooloolaba and Sunnybank.”

Mr Kenyon also acknowledged Lions from a nearby Lions District - Ipswich Redbank, and from Rosewood’s sponsoring Club, Goodna.

As befits a half-century anniversary, the guest list was a long one.

“There were visitors from the community of Rosewood, volunteers from the Lions Club of Rosewood Op Shop and Member for Blair Shayne Neumann, Member for Ipswich West Wendy Bourne MP and Ipswich City councillors, Jim Madden and David Martin.”

The upper echelon of the Lions organisation were also there to lend weight to the importance of the occasion.

These included Incoming District Governor, Stuart Perrett and his partner Kaylene, and Past District Governors Ross and Kim Forrest.

Mr Neumann, Ms Bourne and Crs Madden and Martin reflected on the past 50 years of the Club and a number of current and past members spoke of their experience as a Rosewood Lion.

But it was Club historian Eirys Heit who took guests on a ‘walk down memory lane’ to highlight the many projects members were involved in during the early years.

The President, Mike Golgerth, took the occasion as an opportunity to award Eirys with a 30-years-service certificate and to acknowledge her late husband, Sel, as a charter member and active Lion for 50 years.

Mr Kenyon also highlighted the work of the Club’s anniversary committee.

“Their dedication to making the event a reality, and a resounding success, was truly commendable.”