The Piano Man

There’s this guy I used to travel with a lot. In fact, a big chunk of that travel was even in a 1991 GMC Safari van that I bought off him for a very good price that still irks him! It really annoys him also that except for a few minor problems such as rust the vehicle is still running perfectly more than 10 years and 300,000km after we bought it.

Anyway, for a few years way back we roamed the roads as a team trying to hit just about every Lions Convention, Leadership Forum, Cabinet Meeting, and Club Meeting that we could. We did a lot of driving, talking, debating, sharing of hotel room expenses and sampling more than our fair share of single malt scotch. We visited Lexington, Des Moines, Montreal, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, several Lions Conventions, Forums and meetings all around Ontario and Quebec and too many Lions Clubs to list on this page. He got me motivated and into the world of community service, something that I really miss with all my travels with Northern Stores the past few years. He encouraged and supported me in my years as Zone Chairman, Region Chairman and through several positions on our District Cabinet and still insists he will be my Campaign Manager should I ever agree to run for District Governor.

Past District Governor of District A6, Lion Ivor Jones is a gentleman who has devoted just about his entire life to helping others first as a schoolteacher and then as Dean of Arctic College as well as a host of other positions such as serving on town councils and championing many local causes and events in Northern Ontario. He has served in many positions on the Ontario branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association as well as their National branch and has just been appointed President of the Northern Diabetes Network where he will continue his crusade against one of the leading killers and THE leading cause of blindness and non-traumatic amputation in the country. (Did you know that diabetes is a very major cause of heart and kidney failure? When you read that someone has died of heart failure there is a very good chance that it was brought about by diabetes.) He just about single handed put Moose Factory and Moosonee on the Lions map of the world and has traveled as far away as Brazil, Thailand and Australia for Lions causes and campaigns. On top of (and perhaps because of) the many honours bestowed on him by Lions Clubs International and the Diabetes Association he is also an Honorary Kentucky Colonel!.

One of his greatest projects in my opinion is entitled "Catch the Dream." He has contracted First Nations artists to create a traditional dream catcher with the feathers in the Lions purple and gold colors. All profits from the sales of these dream catchers goes directly to diabetes research. So far hundreds of these items have been sold putting many thousands of dollars into the hands of the people frantically searching for a cure for this epidemic. If anyone out there would like one they are $10 each and if you let me know how many you want I'll have Ivor get in touch with you to make arrangements.

His Lions awards are too many to mention but include among others an International Presidents Leadership Medal, a Melvin Jones Fellowship, and I myself had the honour and pleasure of pinning a Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship medal on him during what was for me a very moving evening while serving as President of the Moose Factory Island Lions Club.

Why is this blog entry titled “The Piano Man?” Well, many were the times that I carried his instruments (an organ among them) to a lot of the Lions functions I mentioned above. Ivor also picked up some spending money is his younger days playing piano and singing in various establishments and is still in great demand to play at Lions and other functions. I think one of the best pieces he plays is the song by that name and I once even called in a $50 pledge to the Lions MCTV Telethon to get him to play it on the air one year! By the way the telethon is this weekend so don't forget to call in your pledge!

Anyway, I guess I’m just feeling a little melancholy today and hearing Billy Joel sing The Piano Man on an internet broadcast a few minutes ago just brought back a lot of memories to me. I miss my days working with the Lions Clubs and I miss our travel and fellowship, Ivor. Lets not wait too long to renew our journey. Once more for the road?

How about the rest of you out there, what triggers your ancient history and emotions?