Please join us for our Lions Club Start of Year 2023-24 Pizza at the Park Thu 28 Sep 2023 6:30pm at Magrath Fish Pond for Pizza and Pop followed by a walk down the trail looking for trash to clean up! All members and any interested in Lions Club and their families are invited .. please RSVP to Lion Shauna at [email protected] if you can come! See you all there!

Minutes Magrath Lion’s Meeting Sept 28, 2023 

Call to order 6:30pm Attending: Lion Shauna and Roger, Lion Larry, Guests Minerva, son William, Aubrey, Megan, children Hadley, Hudson. Regrets: Lion Alex/Laurie Ann in Nova Scotia, Lion Laurence came down with cold, Lion Elizabeth recovering from cold, Lion Catherine working late.

'Pizza in the Park' ended up to be mostly 'Chilly in the Dark'! but we forged on regardless. Thank you to all who braved the fall wind and early setting of the sun with us!

• Lion Shauna - 6:30pm Welcome and introductions.
• Menu: Pizza! from SASH and chips/pop from Roosters.
• Lion Roger reported on current and upcoming projects
  • Project Christmas boxes- boxes ordered 50+ and will be available for pickup at Magrath Pharmacy. Lions website has been updated (for 2023 **please drop off by 6pm on Fri 17 Nov 2023 at the Magrath Pharmacy**) 
    • Idea: Approach SASH to see if they might need local versions of christmas boxes for Food Kitchen clients. Perhaps leaving a few empty boxes at SASH and/or Roosters
    • Need posters and information in social media.
    • SASH would like some help with a food drive .. defer discussion to later meeting
  • Project Peace Poster 2024
    • ​Lion Elizabeth has contacted school. They would like to participate but later in the year.
    • Lion Roger reports ordered kit has been lost in mail - emailed Lions Store to see about tracking the delivery.
    • We could proceed for this year or defer to next .. Lion’s International entries limited to students age 11-13. We can run a local High School version for later in the year ..
  • ​Zone C2 Meeting Tues Oct 17th 6pm at Lethbridge Casino boardroom is open to  all club members. Lion Roger and Shauna plan to attend.
  • New members:  Ashley Clifton and Aubrey Olsen have agreed to join our club as well as Daniel and Minnie Noad. Welcome!
• Lion Lawrence was unable to attend but sent his Casino report by email. 
  • Next Magrath Lions Club casino date is approved for Jan, Feb or March of 2026
  • a $500 donation was made to local  family to help with costs as a child with cancer was retroactively approved.
• Lions hats and badges for 2023/24 donated by Lion Shauna and distributed to current and new Lions Club members. We hope to have members wear hats while working club projects and badges can be used on coats or shirts. 
• We continue to look for new members. Website has been updated with 2024 Club Fact sheet and updated lions club New Member application form.
  • Discuss: advertising for new members on facebook “Looking for anyone who would like to make a difference in the community. The Lion’s club is looking for people willing to help”.
  • Idea: (Aubrey) Knitt yarn wigs of Disney princesses for children with cancer – this could include community members . Will look for more information.
  • Idea: Cardston is doing a “Be Nice to Your Neighbour Bingo” – we will talk about doing this in more detail next meeting.
• 7:30pm Motion to adjourn. 

Next meeting is scheduled for Thu 26 Oct 2023.
Minutes by Lion Larry with updates by Lion Roger.

Lion J. Alfred Ririe was my grandmother Hazel's brother. In addition to many other achievements - political office, owner of Magrath Trading Company store, church positions, etc, he was also a charter member of the Magrath Lions Club (May 1938) in Magrath. He is listed in 1966 in our club historical documents as an active charter member of the club with continuous service since the charter in 1938. Magrath Lions club members built the first public swimming pool in Magrath. My name is Lion Roger Davies, Magrath Lions Club president in Magrath, AB (2013). 

James Alfred Ririe 
Born 21 Jan 1884 Weber County, Utah, USA 
Charter member of Magrath Lions Club 1938-1973 
Died 23 Oct 1973 Magrath, AB Canada 
Magrath Lions Club listed as 'honorary pallbearers' in his funeral program. 

MAGRATH TRADING COMPANY LTD. [Magrath Trading Co News Nov 1973]

James Alfred Ririe passed away in the Magrath Municipal Hospital Tuesday, October 23rd at the age of 89 years. Born in West Weber, Utah, January 21, 1884, he came to Canada in 1899 with his parents and was one of the early pioneers to settle in Magrath. The Riries chartered a train to bring purebred Ramboullet and Corriedale sheep, Jersey cattle and Clydesdale horses to the area.

He attended school in Magrath, graduated in business from Brigham Young University, Logan, Utah. He filled a mission for the L.D.S. Church in the Netherlands, and was the first Bishop of the Second Ward Church when the wards were divided. Mr. Ririe was keenly interested in the affairs of the community having served as Mayor of Magrath, President of the Magrath Agricultural Fair and was a charter member of the Magrath Lions Club. He was Manager of the Magrath Trading Co. Ltd., a position he held up to the time of his passing and had missed but a few days at being at his desk in the "Trading Co. office.

Throughout his lifetime Mr. Ririe had been engaged in agriculture, particularly cattle and sheep ranching. He had increased his holdings in the sheep raising industry until he had become one of the largest sheep ranchers in Canada. The Magrath Trading Company Store News was one of his inspirations and he had been publisher of the paper for the many years of its existence, reading copy up to the time of his illness. Many civic and public affairs were brought to the attention of readers through its pages and his editorials were read with interest. He also shared his particular kind of humor in jokes put in as fillers, his love of poetry in the poems he selected for printing in the paper.

Mr. Ririe leaves to mourn his passing his loving wife Maude; three daughters Mrs. Wendell (Alice) Fowler of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mrs. Wallace (Virginia) Wilde of Raymond and Mrs. Kenneth (Marjorie) Balderson of Magrath; 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren; two brothers Horace of Magrath and Lloyd of Provo, Utah; six sisters Mrs. R. D. (Olive) Bradhshaw and Mrs. C. C. (Hazel) Spencer of Magrath, Mrs. Mervin (Velma) Godfrey of Provo, Utah, Mrs. Margaret Hindley of Magrath, Mrs. Prudence Poulsen of Lethbridge and Mrs. Leonard (Juliadean) Bondy of Magrath. He was predeceased by a daughter Jean in 1966 and a grandson Vincent Balderson in 1964.

Funeral services were held in the Magrath L.D.S. Chapel Friday afternoon, October 26th with Bishop Alan Dudley officiating. The family prayer was offered by Horace Ririe. Mrs. Charlotte Fletcher presided at the organ for the prelude and postlude music and accompanied the choir in the singing of the opening hymn "Lead Kindly Light” conducted by Mrs. Inez Gibb. Invocation was offered by Jay Hamilton. Speakers for the service were Lolavee Jensen, who included in his address the biography of the late Mr. Ririe, and Pres. James Bridge. Special musical numbers were vocal solos with Bishop L. B. Tanner singing "Crossing the Bar" accompanied by Mrs. Vinessa Hamilton and Mrs. Jeannine Jensen sang "The Lord's Prayer" accompanied by Mrs. Emma Dahl. Closing remarks were given by Bishop Alan Dudley following which the choir sang as the closing hymn "Abide With Me 'Tis Eventide". Benediction was offered by Shelton Ririe. Honorary Pallbearers were members of the Magrath Lions Club. Active Pallbearers were Steve Gruninger, Lon Hovey, Lyman Turner, Robert Mikado, John Bourne and Ted Hocking. Ushers were Watson Ririe, Fred Strate, James B. Ririe and Ted Law. Mrs. Elizabeth Davies attended the family guest register. The floral tributes were under the direction of the First Ward Relief Society and carried by members, friends and members of the Magrath Trading Co. staff. Interment took place in the Magrath Cemetery with Lloyd Ririe offering the graveside prayer. Christensen Salmon Funeral Home were in charge of arrangements.
……………
A favorite quote of the late J. Alfred Ririe: "Thank God every morning when you get up that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work, and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle never know." - Charles Kingsley.