Tommy Woods awarded Melvin Jones Fellowship Award

Saturday afternoon was Centerville Lions Club’s annual fundraiser and golf tournament at the Waterford Golf Course in Bonaire. Before the tournament started, club members presented the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award to Tommy Woods, the owner and operator of Waterford.

Woods was given the award based on his “Exemplary Service” as a supporter of the club who enabled the club to do a lot of good in their community with additional funds. Club member and 1-year director, Bill Craig, noted that initiating a preferred rate for this annual fundraiser allows the club to put more money towards the supplies needed to help those who are less fortunate.

The Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest form of recognition to be received from the club, is given based on the exemplary service and support of a lion or non-lion in any given community. Named after the club’s founder, Melvin Jones the decoration symbolizes the club’s purpose and humanitarian ideas. Woods has supported the club and its purpose for many years by hosting this event at a preferred rate and supporting the club in its financial and service goals.

“Tommy always gives us a very preferred rate and that allows us to make a lot more money than we would in going somewhere else. So we have more money to put towards eyeglasses and hearing aids and assistance for folks who are less fortunate,” Craig said

Through Woods’ generosity and the hosting of this annual tournament, the Centerville Lions have been able to provide around 40-50 thousand dollars worth of extra hearing aids, eyeglasses and other assistance needed for its outreach program.

“Woods has given unselfishly to our club, enabling us to provide for individual and community needs; thereby making a real difference in the quality of life of our citizens,” Craig stated.

Woods expressed his gratitude to the club for the award, but stated that it is not just himself that is responsible for the success of the event. It is a combined effort of the entire staff at Waterford that adds to the event’s success each year.

“What we do out here is the work of a lot of people, it is not just myself,” Woods said. “I’ve had a great staff over the last 30 years out here, so it has been through the efforts of those kinds of people that events like this help you do what you do for the community.”