50 big ones! Tracy Lions celebrate a half century

Armed with more energy than you can fit inside a can of Red Bull, 68-year-old Brian Sheehan charged up Lions from all over the region Sunday, as the Tracy Lions celebrated 50 years of service.

While humorous Tik Tok videos playing intermittently behind him inspired plenty of laughs from the crowd, it was Sheehan, Lions Club International President, who grabbed the spotlight and wouldn’t let go.

“Why are we here tonight? We’re celebrating a great event!” Sheehan shouted. “Fifty years is tough. We’re here to celebrate the great things the Tracy Lions do. Fifty years — not every club gets to that level!” Climbing on chairs and hopping up and down on The Caboose stage like a 10-year-old at his own birthday party, Sheehan’s message had many layers.

“We have to be attractive to others, we gotta have people wanting to join, see the great things we continue to do,” said Sheehan, who carried a microphone, but didn’t really need it. “When we get new members in, we’ve gotta listen to them … we don’t care how seasoned they are, or how young we are — we need that energy, don’t we?”

Part motivational speaker, part promoter, Sheehan goal was to inspire local Lions Club members to build on what they have already established to keep the organization vibrant and meaningful.

“We’ve gotta ask all people to help us out,” he said. “Serve — we have to serve. It is the biggest thing that we do. We need to share the joy of being a Lion with other people.”

Helping others, Sheehan said, must always be the No. 1 purpose of all Lions members. He said helping others makes people feel better about themselves. But Lions members don’t do what they do for their own benefit.

“Nothing we do is for ourselves,” he said. “Nothing is for us, it’s always about helping our community.”

Sheehan applauded the Tracy Lions for creating a solid foundation on which to build. Without that, 50 years of service wouldn’t be possible, and the future of a service club like the Lions might be in doubt.

He asked the crowd what it takes to be able to survive 50 years. The answers ranged from being open to change and attitude, to camaraderie and communication.

“Communication most is about listening,” he said. “Compromising, not stuck in our ways. There’s a lot of characteristics we need; we need teamwork, we need delegation, we need listening, enthusiasm. But change — we’ve gotta be open to change.

As part of his presentation, Sheehan lauded the “Help Tuck Them In” bed program spearheaded by Lori Alf and Joel Buyck as one of the main ways the Lions have given back.

Sheehan, who has formed the Team Sheehan Charitable Foundation as a way to give back to Lions Clubs in MD5M, also presented a number of people with honors from himself and the Lions Club as a whole.

Tom Hesse was honored by Sheehan for his work as the Tracy Lions president, and Lori Erbes earned the Lions’ “Dream Catcher” award for her work with students with diabetes. Melvin Jones Fellowship awards were also given to John Edwards and The Caboose staff for working with the Lions for events like Sunday’s; and Per Peterson for the support given to the Lions though coverage of their events by the Tracy Area Headlight Herald.

“Thank you to the Tracy club for recognizing people in the community that make an impact and make a difference,” Sheehan said. “I get my battery charged every week by seeing the great projects you have going on and how you help your community.”