Member spotlight

Paul McInnes is a tireless worker across a range of local and international community and charitable projects. He is proud to have chartered the Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc. and was the Charter President. The Club would not be where it is today without his knowledge, tenacity, support, intelligence and hard work.

Paul played an instrumental role in building the club’s multicultural membership, which now comprises Chinese, Indian, New Zealand, Filipino, Australian, Italian and South African members.

In just five years, Paul has helped recruit 60 members into the club, who pride themselves on being a ‘big happy family who look after each other’s welfare’.

In this short period of five years, the Club has fundraised and donated more than $532,000+ to a range of local, national and international causes.

As a Lion, Paul continues to help raise funds for local schools, hospitals and Lions foundations such as the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation, Australian Lions Hearing Dogs, Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation. He is particularly passionate about supporting the sick and under privileged children of the Blacktown Local Government area.

Since his retirement in 2012, Paul has dedicated himself to serving the local community and has held various positions on the boards of a number of organisations. He was the NSW Trustee for Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation, Vice Chairman and Treasurer for Junaya Family Development Services Incorporated, has served as President of Blacktown City Lions Club for two years and was instrumental in the creation of Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc. where he served as President for two consecutive years. He is also currently the 2nd Vice District Governor for the Lions District of N5.

More of Paul’s achievements:

1. As a President of Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc., Paul McInnes helped raise $55,000 for the construction of an “All Abilities Playground” at the Ponds School for Disabled Children.
2. For the last five years he has helped organise the “Michael Vassili Outstanding Young Achievers Awards”. The purpose of the awards is to recognise disadvantaged children, of high school age, for their commitment to advancing either their own potential and/or their commitment to the wider community.
3. He helped raise $60,000 to build and upgrade the Blacktown & Mount Druitt Hospital Children’s Healing Garden, so that sick children can play while recovering from their illness.
4. He was instrumental in helping raise $85,000 for the purchase and construction of sun shade sails for The Ponds School for Disabled Children.
5. Paul has assisted Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc. in conducting many BBQs for groups such as Wesley Mission in Schofield & Marsden Park, school fetes, football games, The Launch Box, Mirvac Groups and other charitable organisations.
6. Paul helped raise funds towards the purchase of a 12-seater school bus for The Ponds High School. This enables students to visit nursing homes and attend other activities outside of school.
7. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul has continued to serve the community doing food drive collections outside supermarkets, distributing food to the local community, distributing to aged care, nursing homes, toys to hospitals and much more.