A SECOND Loddon service club will disappear within months.
Low membership will force the 42-year-old East Loddon Lions into recess. But president Alan Guthrie says he struggles to see the club re-emerging in 2026.
“The COVID years really hit volunteering and we’re now down to just five members and some are no longer able to fully participate in our activities,” he said.
The club called on community volunteers to help with the barbecue at Sunday’s Australia Day celebration in Dingee.
Lions members have organised annual national day events in the old East Loddon Shire, rotating between Serpentine, Jarklin, Dingee, Mitiamo and Calivil.
Mr Guthrie said the 12-month recess was a requirement of Lions International before a club could be officially closed.
Pyramid Hill Lions finished their community service with the club being closed last month, leaving the shire with three service clubs - Lions in Inglewood and Wedderburn and Boort Amity. Local Apex and Rotary clubs have long disappeared from the community volunteer landscape.
Mr Guthrie said East Loddon Lions would wrap up with its driver reviver on the Loddon Valley Highway at Bears Lagoon at Easter and a final year of the junior public speaking competition at East Loddon P12 College.
Inglewood club president Eddie Sydor said two new members had joined in the past year. 
“We do a lot of catering for events and are lucky to have a loyal group but numbers could be much higher. Being in a service club is a rewarding way to connect and contribute to a local community,” Mr Sydor said.
Wedderburn secretary Jon Chandler said: “We have 27 members ... we’d love to recruit young people to lower the average age.”
The average age of Lions club members across the region was currently 68, Mr Chandler said.