The Auburn Noon Lions Club recently installed its new officers for the coming year in a ceremony at the Truitt Building in downtown Auburn.

The outgoing officers were recognized for their contributions last year, and several awards and recognition were extended.

Auburn’s Heidi Harris, an administrator in the Auburn School District, was installed as the 2011-2012 president.

Other officers installed were: Jim Kleinbeck, 1st vice president; Ron Bohlman, 2nd vice president; Joshua Hosford, 3rd vice president; Tom Burrill, treasurer; Martin Harris, secretary; One Year Directors Don Eddy, Robert Johnson and Patrick Taylor; Two Year Directors Eric Robertson, Mel West and Dr. Vicki Wickham; and Randall Smith, Immediate Past President.

Other officers are Allen Geiszler, Ray Sherman, Bud Dyer, John and Shirlee Partridge, Ed and Linda Butler, and Joe Bartkowski.

Longstanding club member Pete Lewis, mayor of Auburn, conducted the installation ceremony.

Darrel Gordon of Auburn was presented the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, named after the Lions Club International founder, by past recipient Leila Booth. The award is the highest form of recognition and embodies humanitarian ideas consistent with the nature and purpose of Lionism. The recipient of the award is considered a model Lion because of the exemplary service to the local club and community in which he serves.

Gordon chairs the local hearing grant program and is active in all of the clubs activities.

The Lion of the Year Award was presented to Eric Robertson, the Valley Regional Fire Authority Administrator, by outgoing President Randall Smith. The award recipient was voted upon by his peers and is in recognition of that member’s significant contribution to the advancement of the club’s goals and objectives for that year.

Robertson chairs the barbecue fundraising events, serves on the auction committee, and is active in many other club activities.

Lions Club International is the world’s largest service organization, with more than 45,000 clubs and 1.35 million members. The charitable arm of the Lions Club aids people in need, specifically the blind and sight impaired, the hard of hearing and deaf, and the youth in our community.

The Auburn Noon Lions has nearly 70 members and had a record year in providing grants for eye surgeries and hearing aids in the greater Auburn area.