Nearly 100 Lions attended the District 14-U Banner Exchange when outgoing District Governor Scott Dudley turned over the District 14-U Banner to incoming District Governor Angela Mimms during an outdoor picnic held Wednesday evening at the West Penn Community Grove.

Lions from West Penn Township prepared a great steak dinner as part of the evening's festivities.Attending the event were members from Milford Lions Club, Tri-Valley Valley View Lions Club, Bowmanstown-Parryville Lions Club, Franklin Township Lions Club, Palmerton Lions Club, Beltzville Lions Club and the hosting club, West Penn Lions Club.Serving as master of ceremonies was Gary Kistler of the West Penn Lions Club.Kistler introduced Dudley, who gave a brief report on the District 14-U Lions past year service projects and thanked the Lions in District 14-U for their support during his reign. He especially thanked the Lions for bringing in new members and retaining members to increase Lions membership in District 14-U. He said that Beltzville Lions Club netted the District 35 Lions and of that total 28 members were new Lions; the remaining seven were transfer members.He noted that Bowmanstown-Parryville Lions had a net increase of two members, and brought in three new members; Franklin Township Lions had a net increase of one member, and brought in five new members; Mahoning Lions, netted one member and brought in four new members; Palmerton Lions netted one member and brought in four members; West Penn Lions netted seven members and brought in eight new members; Milford Lions brought in two new members; and Tri-Valley Lions brought in two new members."District 14-U is the ultimate district," noted Dudley. "We are the number one District in the state of Pennsylvania and we are the 10th best in the United States."Dudley then went on to present membership awards to Curtis Bailey in the West Penn Lions Club who brought in six new members and presented the West Penn Lions Club with an award for bringing in eight new members.Dudley said that District 14-U had a successful year and then presented service year awards to members who had achieved significant years of service. He also presence necrology packets to Palmerton and Bowmanstown-Parryville Lions Clubs in memory of deceased members."This year we lost a club when two clubs merged and we also chartered a new club," said Dudley. "We planted a lot of trees and we assisted Pine Grove which was flooded."Dudley then presented Mimms with three banners, which she will display at various events throughout the year.She was then presented with a handcrafted wooden box to carry the District Banner by Gary Kistler, who used wood from the West Penn Park to make the box.Mimms said that she was looking forward to a good year working with Lions in District 14-U."We are the ultimate district," she said. "I hope that I make you proud of me."Mimms has been a member of Milford Lions Club for 12 years, where she has served as club president, tail twister and fundraising chairman. She has also served as a zone chairman and region chairman, and was the first second vice district governor in District 14-U. She also served as first vice governor last year.Mimms is also the first District Governor in District 14-U to have an all women District team. Her team members are Liz Ann McElwee, first vice district governor; and Sharon Kimmel, second vice district governor.Mimms invited Lions from District 14-U to attend a Cabinet Meeting on August 12 at Lake Naomi.