It was time of remembrance and a time of looking ahead as the Western Pocono Lions Club met at The Lakeside in Saylorsburg to have its 2017-18 club officers installed.

The remembrance was for longtime Lions like Chris and his wife, Rita Sweeney, Charlie Rush and Matt Held, as well as for the visiting Past District Gov. Bob Argot and his Partner in Service, both now from Berks County, who had been invited to install the club officers. They could all recall meeting at The Lakeside when it was Riedmiller's.The focus, however, was on officer installation.Called forward by Argot first was Lion Tamer to-be Linda Hinton, who remembered being asked by Argot to become a Lion.Now he reminded her that her job was to be the chief welcoming person at club events and to have all club property ready for each meeting and to not let things slip through her fingers.As a token of that position he gave her a Butterfinger candy bar.Her husband Jeff Hinton was called forward and reminded to bring humor to the club as well as to collect fines. He was given a Snickers candy bar.Past Council Chair Lion Chris Sweeney was again elected director, to be joined by Lions Bob Kelsey and Marvin Aylsworth. He was give a Symphony bar since the directors must help in keeping club activities flowing in union, like a good symphony.Club President Cindy Rodenbough, now becoming vice president, received Fast Break, due to her need if being ready at an instant to fill in for the president and also an Almond Joy for having had a joyous year as president.Lion Treasurer Joanne Rush continues in her position, and having verified that the club books had been audited, was presented a PayDay bar as a symbol for her work.Club secretary Charles Rush continues as secretary. Being lauded for his doing his many duties well and promising to continue to serve, Argot presented him with a Mounds bar, representing the mounds of responsibilities a club secretary has.Telling Lion Pat Buccieri, this past year's vice president, that she would now have power like Babe Ruth did in baseball, but not quite as much overall as Ruth had, Argot presented her with a Baby Ruth bar.Argot, a former president of the West End Lions Club, asked the members if they each would do the best they could. Receiving a positive affirmative, Argot declared the new officers duly installed.The evening ended with recognizing Sweeney for his 90th birthday with a cake and a basket of wines, celebrating his and his wife's family of six children and 13 grandchildren, as well as a sweet reunion of old friends and fellow Lions, over cake and other desserts.Sweeney is the oldest living member of the club and served as District Governor in the 1986-1987 Lions year. Then in the following year he served as Council Chair, presiding over all Lion District Governors of the state.