Tribute to Scottburgh Lion, Eddie Donaldson
Eddie had been mayor of Germiston in the 1980s.
The Lions Club of Scottburgh paid a fitting tribute to their long-serving colleague, Lion Eddie Donaldson, who died recently after a long battle against cancer.
Lion President Pricilla Tedder welcomed all and opened proceedings in prayer.
It was a moving service at TC Robertson Nature Reserve, under the shelter that was Eddie’s last Lion’s project, and which has been named after him.
Eddie’s Lion’s career spanned many decades. He had stood out amongst others.
Lion Bernie Orth said he had known Eddie before his move to KZN and that service was the motto by which he lived. Apart from his service to Lions and the communities in which he lived, Eddie had been Mayor of Germiston, in the 1980s.
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He and his wife Jacqui had run several successful businesses on the Reef and raised two daughters, Susan and Janet who, with their mother, attended the service.
Longest serving Scottburgh Lions Club member, Tony Butler, said: “Nelson Mandela once said ‘It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it’. I believe Lion Eddie did this to the best of his ability through his membership of the Lions Organisation.”
When Lion Eddie and Jacqui retired to Scottburgh, they transferred their membership from their Johannesburg club to Scottburgh Lions.
Eddie came to Scottburgh club with the ideal qualifications to take service to a new level to the local community. He had already risen through the Lions ranks to District Governor of District 410B and served Lions at its highest level.
Among Lion Eddie’s contributions to Scottburgh Lions, he set up the club finances with an annual budget, a banking account and organised the club’s qualification for an NPO fundraising number. On service to the community, he liaised with local organisations.
For sight, he arranged with David Lowe, the local optician, to do free eye tests for spectacles provided by Lions via Operation Bright Sight. With GJ Crookes Hospital, he organised specification and funding of equipment for cataract operations and hearing tests.
On fundraising – through his membership of the Classic Car Club, he liaised with Peter Fielding for Lions to sell food and drinks at the annual Classic Car Show.
Through John, Lorraine and Derek Whiteley, he arranged liaison with farmer Glen and Mandy Haw to supply food and drinks for the Sani2C event and later the Joberg2C. These were among the biggest Lions’ fundraisers and services to the community.
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On the environmental side, Lion Eddie arranged for Scottburgh Lions to service the Scottburgh Library Peace Garden in exchange for use of the amenities room for Lions meetings and diabetes testing. At TC Robertson Nature Reserve, he did all the groundwork for financing and building of the shelter.
It was fitting that the remembrance ceremony was held where Eddie’s last service to the community took place.
He is survived by his wife Jacqui, and daughters Susan and Janet and their families.
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