Club celebrates life of Navy veteran, the late Pete Brasher
The Conroe Noon Lions marked the Wednesday after the Memorial Day Weekend by remembering one of our departed WW II veterans — Lion Pete Brasher.
Lion Pete served in the Navy during the war and became a prominent Conroe area businessman. Pete had an uncanny, sharp wit and was amazing with the microphone in his hand at the meetings. During his 45-year tenure as a Lion, he was so reliable so as the Club's program Chair that he was eventually named the Club's Program Chair for Life!
To honor Pete, Past-President Lion Warner Phelps (who knew him well) teamed up in 2021 with Conroe High School Principal Tasha Smith to establish a contest in Lion Pete's honor for members of the junior class at Conroe High. Since Lion Pete was a HUGE Conroe Tiger supporter, each year the Club sponsors the Pete Brasher Memorial Speech Contest. This year out of more than twenty students who participated, eight contestants were selected to present their speeches during the live judging. There the top three Speech Contest winners were awarded cash prizes. The students were asked to write on one of the subjects that make up the priorities of Lions Clubs International: vision, diabetes, hunger, environment, childhood cancer, disaster relief, youth, and humanitarian efforts. This year we were honored to award first place to Camden Cartwright, second place to Savanah Galindo, and third place to Carson Goswick. The Club was very impressed when Ms. Galindo, and another finalist, Isabella Murray, agreed to join us for lunch and present their speeches in person. We also want to give a big THANK YOU to their teacher, Ms. Merritt, who helped coordinate the contest!
And there's more ... each year our Club awards general scholarships to seniors graduating who have shown a commitment to the principals of Lionism based on examples of academic performance, community involvement, and character. Some of these students were also at Wednesday’s meeting; presented by Lion Andrew Perry they were Delton Phelps, Cecilia Lopez, Kambrea Matthews, Karla Lopez, Mandy Hernandez, Daimy Andrade, Kyle Canestorp, Isabel Alvarado, and Luke Sondag.
Lion Andrew and I each emphasized that, with students like these coming out of our school system, our future as a state and nation looks very bright. We congratulate them all and look forward to their bright and successful futures.
Conroe Noon has recruited several children to attend this year's Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville, Texas for children with special physical needs, diabetes, and down syndrome. The club puts together backpacks full of goodies and camp items for each child to use and enjoy during their week at the camp this summer. Thank you Lions!
The Conroe Noon Lions Club meets on Wednesdays, at noon, at the Lone Star Convention Center. For more information about the Conroe Noon Lions Club, please visit our website, www.conroenoonlions.org, or call the club office at 936-760-1666.
