Past-president Jeff Pickup has been on the executive of the Fabulous Fenwick Lions for many years, with more than a few as president. He’s won a number of major Lions awards, including honours as a Melvin Jones Fellow, Helen Keller Fellow, Judge Brian Stevenson Fellow, and a Lions Quest Canada Fellow. But at age 76, he’s happy to see some of the younger members step up and take leadership roles in the club.
“My health has been an issue, but I still plan to do a lot of stuff behind the scenes with the Lions,” he said, “working with the Town on the paperwork for municipal grants and permits for events, that sort of thing.”
Diagnosed with prostate cancer in the fall of 2016, Pickup endured 48 radiation treatments, which sapped his energy. In September of 2017, his oncologist declared him cancer-free, although Pickup still wrestles with a heart arrhythmia, asthma, and diabetes.
Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the UK, Pickup arrived in Canada with his parents at age six. The family settled in the west end of Toronto by the lake, but relocated to East York where Pickup spent his early teens.
“I lost my English accent fairly quickly,” he said. “My sister kept hers longer. I graduated with my Grade 12 diploma, and started an electrical tradesmanship with the IBEW Local 353, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, in Toronto. I did electrical installations for a while, then moved up to a role as an estimating manager. I actually just got my IBEW 55 years of service watch in May.”
A keen hockey player as a teenager, Pickup went to Stratford to play Junior B hockey for four years, followed by a stint in a senior hockey league in Ontario. Along the way he did some coaching and served as a referee. He also played some baseball.
Pickup and his wife moved from Mississauga to Pelham in November 2004, and settled in Fonthill, thinking that it would be a good spot for their retirement years.
“The realtor we were using said that Fonthill was a favorable postal code,” he said with a chuckle. “I worked with Ecco Electric in St. Catharines for a while, then took on the role of senior project manager for the major power wiring at the new St. Catharines Hospital. I also worked at Maple Leaf Foods near Hamilton prior to retirement.”
Pickup’s next-door neighbour at the time, the late Don Summers, was a member of the Fenwick Lions, and was the one who introduced Pickup to the Lions.
“Don asked me if I’d like to tag along to a few meetings. I was impressed with the group, and became a Fenwick Lion in January of 2006, over 17 years ago,” said Pickup.
The 48-member strong Fenwick Lions are perhaps best known in the community for their annual classic car raffle, carnival and parade at the end of May, and their Friday fish fries held April through October. These events allow the Lions to support a host of local charities including Pelham Cares, and another that is especially dear to Pickup, the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.
“I was the club’s liaison with the Guide Dogs charity for many years, and attended many of the dog ‘graduations.’ The program provides blind Canadians with greater mobility and independence,” he said.
The Fenwick Lions have a long-term plan to replace their clubhouse at Centennial Park, and have a scrap metal bin outside their building, with all recycling dollars directed to the building fund.
“Acme Steels in Welland donated the current building to the local Boy Scouts many decades ago, and we inherited it from the scouts. Various improvements have occurred over the years, and a couple additions were added, which involved members actually digging out the basement foundation by hand. That was long before my time here,” said Pickup.
The Fenwick Lions are looking for local sponsors, and are investigating grant opportunities, but “it’s hard to raise money these days,” said Pickup. “We are looking at about $1.25 million to replace the clubhouse. Some guys are suggesting that we rebuild in phases, but we don’t have full consensus on that approach.”
