Background

In June 1964 when District Governor elect Lion Jamie Jamieson was leaving Australia from Brisbane Airport to go to America to be installed as District Governor for the year 1964 - 1965 he asked me to walk with him from the passenger lounge to the aircraft steps. As we walked he told me of his desire during his year as District Governor to establish a Youth Quest for young men aged between 16 and 18 years.

He said there were between 20 - 25 Quests for young women but nothing for young men. Jamie asked me to write a format for the Quest during his absence with a view to conducting the first Quest between July and December 1964.

Jamie said he had discussed his idea with some members of his club - City of Brisbane, and I could discuss the matter with them to get a better overall picture of what he had in mind. I spoke with Arch Merrin and Arthur Smout and ascertained what Jamie had in mind. We subsequently formed a small committee with me as Chairman and put some idea into writing including the aims of the Quest, points to be allocated in the various sections of the Quest were:

Appearance, poise and dress	12
Personality	17
Leadership	24
Academic Ability	18
Sporting Ability	9
General Knowledge	8
Subtotal	88
Public Speaking	12
Final Summation to be agreed by the
Judging Panel	10
Total	110

Age limitations to enter -	Under 19 at the date of judging.
First Condition -	Entrants must be "MALE" youths.
Aims of the Quest -	To foster and encourage leadership
	and other citizen qualities in young men
	at an age when they are about to enter
	commerce or higher education.

Further details of the Quest can be found in the attached press release written by District Governor Jamie Jamieson on the 16th January 1965.

In its first year the Lions Youth of the Year Quest was conducted in one Lions District only, namely Lions District 201A.

In its second year - 1965 - Lions District 201B based in Sydney and Lions District 201D based in Newcastle together with District 201A based in Brisbane and the Northern Rivers of N.S.W. took part in the Quest.

In May 1966 at the Multiple District Convention held in Brisbane City Hall, District 201A submitted a motion recommending that the Youth of the Year Quest be adopted as a Multiple District Project and the motion was adopted. Lion Syd McDonald of the Lions Club of Ashgrove was subsequently appointed as the Multiple District Chairman. I held the position for a period of ten years before relinquishing my responsibility to move on to other activities in the world of Lionism. Lion Nick Bible of District 201B took over as the National Chairman.

It is important to me to record in the History of the Quest the valuable support and dedication of Lion Merv Reid of the Paddington Club 201B in Sydney and Lion John Murray of Newcastle 201D. They both worked very hard to establish the Quest in their respective Districts. Lion Merv Reid was subsequently appointed co-ordinator of the Quest for Districts in N.S.W.

The winner of the first Quest in District 201A was Peter Wicks of Toowoomba Grammar School whose father was the Rector of All Saints Church in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The second winner of the Quest in 201A was Andrew Brown of Brisbane Grammar School whose father was the Managing Director of Queensland's Golden Circle Cannery.

For the record - the first Youth of the Year committee in District 201A was - as I remember - made up as follows:

Syd McDonald Chairman - Lions Club of Ashgrove.
Arch Merrin - City of Brisbane Lions Club.
Arthur Smout - Eagle Farm Lions Club.
Ian Dalgleish - City of Brisbane Lions Club

These members were subsequently joined by Lions Bill Wissler and Keith Campbell both from the Lions Club of Ashgrove. Lion Ian Dalgleish retired from the committee about this time.

The first Multiple District Committee was made up as follows: 

Syd McDonald - Chairman
Arch Merrin
Arthur Smout
Bill Wissler
Keith Campbell 
Merv Reid - Lions Club of Paddington - 201B and John Murray  Newcastle - 201D

Yours in Lionism

Sydney G.McDonald