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Ripon Lions host speech contest
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The Ripon Lions Club hosted the Zone speech contest with first place and a check for $100 going to Khyra Kolidakis, 18, third from right, a senior at Kimball High School in Tracy. Other speakers from left are Sahiba Beniwal, 17, a senior at Merrill West High in Tracy and Carlos Corno, 18, representing Escalon High School. Club presidents from left are Ramona Decker, Tracy Tank Lions; John Salvin, Escalon; Debbi Hopman, Zone chair, Tracy; Ed Ormonde, Ripon Lions and James Solarez, Tracy Breakfast Lions Club. - photo by GLENN KAHL

Ripon’s Lions club handed out a first place and $100 in their annual speech contest last week with a theme “Community Service, what does it mean, why does it matter.”

Ripon Lions’ Club President Ed Ormonde welcomed the speakers, fellow Lions and family members to the speech contest. Debbi Hopman served as Zone chair for the contest.

There were three contestants from Tracy and Escalon with one from Ripon who had to decline at the last minute because of a death in the family. 

First place went to Khyra Kolidakis, 18, from Kimball High School in Tracy. The two runners-up were Sahiba Beniwal, 17, from Tracy and Carlos Corno, 18, representing Escalon High School. 

Kolidakis will compete next at the regional level on Tuesday, April 1, at 6:30 p.m. at EJ’s Family Restaurant in Stockton.

The Ripon event was held at the American Legion Hall in downtown Ripon where dinner followed.