About 40 Avalon Lions Club members and their significant others gathered at the Catalina Yacht Club to close out the year’s activities with their annual Holiday Party. Amidst the merriment, Lions presented a special award—one given rarely, and the highest award given by the Lion’s Club International Foundation.
Mel Dinkel was named a “Melvin Jones Fellow” for dedicated humanitarian services,” read the rich, wooden and bronze plaque. The award is named after the Lion's Club founder.
About 40 Avalon Lions Club members and their significant others gathered at the Catalina Yacht Club to close out the year’s activities with their annual Holiday Party. Amidst the merriment, Lions presented a special award—one given rarely, and the highest award given by the Lion’s Club International Foundation.
Mel Dinkel was named a “Melvin Jones Fellow” for dedicated humanitarian services,” read the rich, wooden and bronze plaque. The award is named after the Lion's Club founder.
“This award is given to someone who goes way above and beyond the call of duty, from getting their hands dirty doing hard labor to organizing and working behind the scenes,” said John Regalado, Lion’s Club secretary.
“Mel made a lot of things happen for the Lion’s Club that would have taken others some significant doing, or that may not have happened at all,” he said. “He has been really invaluable to the Club, and we really miss him.”
For the past several years, Dinkel, island resident and former treasurer and chief operation officer for the Conservancy, served as treasurer for the Avalon Lion’s Club following former Island Company President Ron Doutt’s retirement from the post. In the spring, Dinkel left the Conservancy, and in July, was named executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Claremont University Consortium, limiting his time on the island but “just for the time being,” Dinkel said.
Dinkel joins a short list of those who have received the prestigious Melvin Jones designation. Regalado said that Dinkel actually learned about the award at the Lion’s installation dinner earlier in the year. Since the plaque had to be ordered, “it’s hard to surprise someone when they are the treasurer,” Regalado said.
Lions Club fundraisers over the year included the Avalon Benefit 50-Mile Run, the Catalina Marathon, the Eco-Marathon, and Brew Fest—all of which netted more than $50,000, according to Dinkel. As always, funds were used for worthy causes including college scholarships for Avalon youth, and to fund Avalon School athletics, the Pony Club, local people in need, Christmas baskets, the Boy Scouts, the Teen Center and Avalon Hospital to name a few.
Dinkel said being a Lion is “an honor and a pleasure.”
He said that he was “incredibly moved by the outpouring of support from the Lions, Rotary and other friends” who had joined the Lion’s celebration.
“I look forward to returning to Lion’s meetings, and to continuing to support the efforts of worthy non-profits on the Island like the Lion’s Club and the Museum,” Dinkel said.
