The Prince Rupert Lions Club is roaring through town with more than $16,000 in contributions to numerous community organizations throughout the spring.
The local service club donates in many ways to the city with its biggest fundraiser of the year being the Blue Knuckle Fishing derby supporting the many organizations the club bequeaths to financially. Volunteering efforts to make the community stronger are a staple function of the club in Prince Rupert.
During May a group of Lions and friends dedicated time beautify the front planting bed at Acropolis Manor, which the club has adopted to maintain. More than $400 worth of plants, fertilizer, soil and shrubbery were installed so the long-term home residents could look out their windows to see a colourful array, Club President Jamie Scott, said. Group members also got together to wash away winter grime from the stationary umbrellas down along the waterfront.
The club is currently looking for new participants to fill out the 25 members that currently support the branch. The club is a good social outlet with two in-person meetings a month held at the Royal Canadian Legion. During COVID-19 the affiliates have been meeting on Zoom, but hope to start back live as soon as pandemic restrictions are lifted.
Local Lions member Wayne Lundman has been awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow Award, by the Lions Club International. The distinguishing award is presented only every four years for dedication to humanitarian services.
The Lion’s pride is volunteering at community events such as making 600 pancakes for the annual AFFNO Sugar Shack Festival. Lions Day in the park is a new initiative the club was building up over the past couple of years, prior to COVID where they would give away hotdogs and drinks in the park.
“It’s a very popular event obviously. We haven’t done it this year because of COVID, but we would like to make it an annual event,” Scott said.
The Lions Club has also just awarded five bursaries of $2,000 each, Scott said, as well as $1,000 to the North Coast Mountain Bike Association, $2,000 to the Prince Rupert Salvation Army, $250 to the Shop at Home Andre’s Electronics draw, $1,000 to the Charles Hays Secondary Interact Club Sea Bin project, $2,000 to the Prince Rupert Special Events Society.
Lt. Dawn Butts of the Prince Rupert Salvation Army receives a donation of $2,000 on June 18 to go toward programs, such as food bank and soup kitchens.that the organization runs. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View
