Remarkable Lioness record

June Stagoll has been at every Scottsdale Lions Club Changeover Dinner since the Club started in 1969, witnessing her granddaughter Melissa Krushka being named a Vice President at the most recent event.

June 12, 2024

Scottsdale’s June Stagoll has just notched up her 56th consecutive Scottsdale Lions Club Changeover Dinner.

Mrs Stagoll, 85, has been attending the events since the club was first formed and has continued to attend over the past two decades since the death of her husband, former Scottsdale Lions Club President Wally.

“Wally started with Lions and they formed the club in 1969 and it went from there,” Mrs Stagoll recalled last week.

“Wally was President in 1983-84 and did every other thing except secretary or treasurer roles and you can guess who did a lot of it!

“Ladies weren’t able to be members so we were the Lions Ladies - we had to do the dirty work though!”

Mrs Stagoll has many fond memories assisting the club in the community.

“Our first project would have been the chocolate wheel for the Scottsdale Show – that would be my stab in the dark,” she recalled.

“We used to have a lot of fun and go all over Australia to conventions.

“It was great – the first year they had the Christmas Parade and the streets were absolutely packed. 

“My son Allan drove the truck up George St and we were all on the back of the truck and he was honking the air horns. Joyce Johnston did an amazing job as the organiser and we would throw lollies out and pieces of cake.  It would be great to have that back again.”

One project that she recalls fondly was the revitalisation of Northeast Park in the 1980s.

Mrs Stagoll’s granddaughter, Melissa Krushka, is now on a mission to restore the area back to its former glory.

Mrs Krushka was inducted into the club late August and has since taken on a Vice President role – the constitution of Lions Clubs International was amended in 1987 to allow for women to become members.

“We have some projects on the go and are looking to put some seats out in front of the doctor’s surgery so that there are chairs for patients waiting to sit on and we want to do some more at Northeast Park next year,” Mrs Krushka said.

“It’s nice to get back in and support the community now that my kids are a bit older and I don’t have all the commitments with football, netball and Little Athletics.

“I remember being here in nan’s loungeroom as a kid and nan would have the Lions Christmas Cakes and the Lions Mints and the Christmas stocking they did every year as a raffle, so it is lovely to be involved like she was.”

Mrs Stagoll said she was proud to see a new generation of her family involved in the organisation.

“I’ve warned them not to load too much on her to start with. When it originated there were 40-odd members and now there are only 13 so there is a lot of work to do,” Mrs Stagoll said.

Mrs Stagoll said she hoped to continue her record attendance run attending the annual event.

“I hope so! There are two other originals Meg Allanby and Yvonne Edgerton who have attended many dinners along the journey too,” Mrs Stagoll said.

Added Mrs Krushka: “I am definitely very proud – it’s pretty special really.”