By: Christian Collington, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TheIFP.ca
The Georgetown Lions Club announced John Fini as the recipient of the 2025 Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year award.
Fini, who has been an active member of the Georgetown Lions Club since 2010, is being recognized for his extensive contributions to local charities, youth sports and community initiatives.
The Lions Club said Fini “does so much more beyond our club and that is why he is so deserving of this award.”
Fini said the recognition is humbling as he attributed much of his contributions to the people around him.
“You don’t get an award like this without surrounding yourself with other really good people,” Fini said.
Fini said his commitment of volunteerism was “ingrained” at a young age. His grandfather was a member of the Weston Lions Club in Toronto and his parents were heavily involved in coaching and church activities.
“Once you get started and you see the impact that you can have, the lives you can touch, it makes you feel good,” he said.
One of Fini’s most notable leadership roles is with the Head for the Hills Craft Beverage Festival. Under his guidance, the festival has completed seven successful events over the last decade, raising more than $600,000 for local charities such as Cancer Assistance Halton Hills and Food4Kids Halton.
Beyond the festival, he is also an active member of 100 Men Who Care, a group that makes quarterly donations to selected charities.
“To be able to fill some of those gaps for good organizations and good people is quite rewarding,” he said.
Fini has also given time to youth sports organizations, most notably 15 years coaching girls’ soccer. He noted that many former players are “contributing back now to their community and becoming amazing young people.”
Fini was also named the recipient of ScotiaMcLeod’s Share the Wealth Award for having the most community volunteer hours for the last two years.
Fini split the $12,000 award between Cancer Assistance Halton Hills and Food4Kids Halton, who were also the Head for the Hills’ charity partners last year.
“It became an easy decision to split it between the two,” he explained. “They’re both great causes, both helping people that are more vulnerable in our community.”
In a statement, Doug Penrice, chair of the awards committee, said Fini “is a great leader and continues to serve both the Lions Club and the broader community with his volunteer efforts.”
The Fred Zorge Award will be presented at the Lions’ Citizen of the Year dinner on March 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Mold-Masters SportsPlex.
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