Berridale Lions Club members are excited to welcome locals and visitors to this year’s spring fair on 3 October. In addition to favourites like Clydesdale horses and children’s carnival games, come and appreciate fine works by local artists including ceramicist, Lee Gleisner, and painter, Michelle Lindau.

Club members organise three Lions events a year: the spring fair, the Christmas twilight market, and the Easter fair. Club president, Amanda Plowright, thanked returning stallholders, newcomers, and local service providers for booking stalls, noting three were still available.

“As ever, we appreciate Berridale Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue Alpine Lakes, and the State Emergency Services for joining us at the spring fair,” Ms Plowright said.

“Children of all ages marvel at their machines and they are dedicated experts who teach us to think about safety at home, work and play.”

The Christmas twilight market is still a few months off, but those who help Santa fill his sack early can get a jump on things. Lions Christmas cakes in a variety of sizes, including gluten free options, will be for sale at the spring fair.

Catering, events, raffles and other activities are how Berridale Lions raise funds for the town and local region. For example, they are currently working with Cooma Hospital Auxiliary to contribute towards new maternity ward equipment.

While their focus is local, the Berridale club also contributes to Lions humanitarian initiatives such as prostate cancer research and support for people experiencing vision loss. All funds donated in this manner are spent in Australia and clubs can also apply for Lions funds to tackle more ambitious projects.

As the event nears and the planning turns to action, club secretary, Lucy Morrell, said the spring fair would not be possible without the support of Snowy Monaro Regional Council.

“From many departments – events planning, public spaces management, customer service, and more – we have had a tonne of help getting ready for this year’s spring fair,” Ms Morrell said.

“My heartfelt thanks goes to the council staff for their patience – a few of us are learning their systems fresh and, speaking for myself, I seem to be a very hard dog to teach new tricks.”

Many in the Snowies have faced a tough winter economically due to lower snowfalls. Berridale Lions intends to help put that in the past by launching the region into springtime on Saturday.