Recognizing Rhonda

By Michael Bromka

Carlsbad Heights Lions on Friday, July 25 gave its Melvin Jones Fellowship Award to First VP Rhonda Jones for outstanding recent leadership and service work.

Heights Lions applauded while Rhonda’s husband, J.W. Sutphin, affixed the pin to her vest. United Way director Kyle Marksteiner proudly beamed. NM Lions District Governor Frankie Davis told lore of the award’s namesake.

Born in 1879 in Arizona territory, and resettling in Chicago, Melvin Jones thrived commercially. With other businessmen, he founded Lions to serve their community in need. Lions found fun applying ingenuity, effort, and seed money locally to help folks help themselves.

Due to his lifelong service plus a distinctive first name, Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) established their prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. The pricey fee ($1,000) often is raised by an entire club. Then members vote who’s worthy to be honored.

Steady service over years can accrue acclaim. Also, frequent big recent work can garner recognition.

Fees raised by LCIF pay for third world development like water projects in poor regions. LCIF also spends on USA disaster relief, when local Lions chapters can spearhead efforts. Recent examples are Lions in Ruidoso and Las Cruces serving after fire and flood.

Rhonda Jones has done yeoman’s service volunteering with Carlsbad Heights Lions and Chamber of Commerce, and working for United Way. Rhonda organized this year’s successful Spaghetti Fest at CHS cafeteria.

We’d like to imagine Rhonda at home after seven long days — proudly admiring her Melvin Jones plaque on the wall. But more likely she’ll be pen-to-checklist, planning another Herculean week.

Consensus

Her service

& counsel

occurred

got noticed

folks saw

passed the word

face to face

over phones

about

Rhonda Jones

so much

even Melvin

concurred.