Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 08/02) - The waiting ends on Valentine's Day.

After months of posturing, accusations and counter-accusations, an orderly transfer of hostages has been arranged between two of Yellowknife's best known service organizations.

Rotarian James Clark (right) and Lion John Scarrow, members of the joint committee, strike a pose after the orderly transfer of prisoners was negotiated. - Kevin Wilson/NNSL photo

The Rotary Club, short one official bell, and the Lion's Club, deprived of its banner, will be reunited with their lost treasures.

"It's time to get on with the issue of banners and bells and working together," said Lions president Mike Oram.

Hear, hear.

The mystery of the missing club paraphernalia began last November when the Lions announced they were holding the Rotary's bell for ransom. A cheque for $200, payable to the Yellowknife chapter of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind guaranteed its safe return.

A month later, while then-Lions president Terry Pearce addressed a meeting of the Rotary, two men identified as "Nin" and "Jah" announced they had found a banner belonging to the Lions.

A four-member delegation of Rotarians into the Lions den signalled a search for common ground.

"We decided we'd better get together and put together some sort of joint effort," said Rotary president Austin Marshall.

The first step is the return of the bell and the banner to their rightful homes.

The next step in the trust-building exercise between the "world's biggest service organization" (the Lions) and the "world's second-biggest service organization (the Rotary) is a joint awareness and fund-raising project between the two organizations.

About a month after the repatriation ceremony, the two clubs will host a series of friendly competitions.

Think peanut-rolling races down the halls of Centre Square Mall. Think dunk tanks.

The joint Rotary-Lion committee is already meeting, and love is in the air.