By Lion Mary Frances Gosnell, Chair
Once again the Damascus Lions served the community through the Holiday Giving Project by delivering gifts and food to 29 families in the Damascus/Clarksburg zip code area.
Our families consisted of 141 family members – 82 of which we under the age of 18. Children under the age of 12 received an outfit and several toys while the teens received a $25 Kohl’s gift Card. Each family received a $25 Safeway Gift Card to purchase meats and perishables and we packed nonperishable foods for several meals plus items for their pantry.
There many Lions, family members, businesses and friends who participated in the project. An accumulation of approximately 330 hours was invested in the project. There were 40 Lions participating while another 24 family members and friends also assisted. The actual cash outlay for the project was $ 3,550. When you consider all the following donations, this project has a monetary value of $10,000 – $12,000.
Partners and businesses to recognize for their participation are –
- Tradesmen Motorcycle Club for toys (including 3 bicycles, 2 scooters and 3 snow saucers) for all the children and families
- Kohl’s Germantown for a 30% discount on the clothing
- Safeway for a $50 Gift Card to purchase a box of candy canes for each family
- Goldstein family for a festive box of cookies for each family
- Damascus Dental for a toothbrush for each family member
- Butler’s Orchard for two and half bushel of apples for the families
- NRC Employee Recreation Association for approximately 2000 Nonperishable food items and potholders
- Rocky Hill Middle School Leo Club approximately 4000 food items, John T. Baker Middle School approximately 1000 items, and Damascus High School Leo Club Food Drives approximately 1000 items.
- Starbucks for coffee for the delivery teams
- Lions for mittens, hats, gloves, scarves and socks
- The Holiday Giving Fund is still on-going. Thus far it has exceeded its collecting efforts from previous years. Lions have been an integral donor in making this possible.
We received several notes from the families expressing their gratitude and their excitement of being able to have a better family holiday time. Delivery Teams experienced some emotional times as they made their deliveries. This is what the Holiday Time is all about – making people feel better about their situation at Holiday Time and assisting them to get through it better.
It is difficult to be specific and thank so many of you for so many different roles you have portrayed in this project. Thus, please accept our sincere thank you for your participation in whatever ways it may have been. With the help of so many businesses, organizations, schools, our families and our friends, the Damascus Lions have served the Damascus Community again this Holiday Season!