Having supper with guests who are asked to speak on a cause that they are passionate about, and then learn that their host is conferring an award on them as a citizen of the year is the surprise format used by the Lions Club of Lloydminster.
Lured to the Lions’ lair at the Legacy Centre for 2024 are Larry Sauer who was awarded Citizen of the Year and grade 12 student Marleigh Mann and Junior Citizen of the Year.
Mann who has an agriculture background came with her family Merv and Ramona Mann. She is already on the transfer list to Lakeland College in the fall and plans to further her studies in the sciences at the U of S. Currently at Holy Rosary High School she has just copped gold in welding at the regional skills contest, but among her passions is her involvement with a school group called the Beba project which helps single mothers through fundraising efforts. The group is currently fundraising for the maternity ward at the Lloydminster Hospital with the nurses selecting the neediest cases. The Beba Club has even branched out with a smaller chapter of Holy Rosary alumni who are now at the U of S.
Mann shares her belief in the school project.
“I liked the initiative. I liked how they are very involved in the school and interact a lot with other students and teachers, which I think is great. And I also really believed in what they were doing. Lots of it for single mothers and babies, but also some bigger humanitarian causes,” says Mann. The group fundraised to help mothers in Ukraine.
Mann who volunteers at concession for both Grace United Church at the Lloyd Fair and the Rustlers women’s hockey team, has already signed up for Rustler’s women’s hockey next season.
The second awardee moved from Regina in 1974, to teach at the Lloydminster Comprehensive and play hockey for the Border Kings who, he eventually coached to winning the Allan Cup in 2001.
Larry Sauer taught for 30 years, including coaching football before retiring and heading to China, to teach. With his wife Leanne, the couple taught for two years before returning to head the effort for the 2008 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Lloydminster. He is presently helping out as the Border City preps to host the Saskatchewan sports showpiece in July.
Larry is the recipient of a corneal transplant and his wife is a kidney donor. They are both strong advocates for organ and tissue transplants.
“Organ and tissue donation is a big thing. We know it saves lives. And the awareness has grown a great deal from 2006 when I had my corneal transplant,” says Sauer.
Larry has gone on to coach with Lloydminster Minor Football where he coached his grandson who plays for the Holy Rosary Raiders, and he still announces at games for the Lloyd Comp Barons. For this, he takes a goodhearted ribbing.
Both awardees are expressing their gratitude to the Lions Club and the community for the accolades.