Senior citizens of the Johannesburg Wild Lions Club hosted a food drive in Sandton at the Benmore Shopping Centre on 4 January.
The Lions Club is the world’s largest service club organisation with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46 000 clubs in over 200 countries around the world. “Whenever a Lions club gets together, problems get smaller and communities get better. That’s because we help where help is needed – in our own communities and around the world – with integrity and energy,” noted the club’s president Mark Meltzer.
The Johannesburg district collects more than R12 500 worth of non-perishable food from the community each month to package and distribute to those in need. The club has regular food collections at the Pick n Pay supermarkets in Benmore and Hyde Park Shopping Centres.
“The club is a strong supporter of the Frida Hartley shelter in Yeoville were abused and abandoned women and children are taken care of,” Meltzer noted.
He added that the club also sells Christmas cakes to help its fundraising efforts. All of the funds raised from the public are used directly for the charity. For example, those in need are assisted with cheap or free spectacles through the Lions Operation Brightsight or hearing aids through the public.
“We want everyone to see a better tomorrow. That’s why we support sight programmes and services including vision screenings, eye banks and eyeglass recycling, provide eye care services to those at risk of losing their sight and raise donations through fundraising campaigns like Campaign Sightfirst and Campaign SightFirst II,” he said.
The club also makes regular donations towards the township feeding schemes of the Union of Jewish Women. “Thirty-two donations of R10 000 have been made to the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind to aid in providing a guide dog to someone in need,” he added.
“The club also conducts numerous other service and fundraising projects each year. During all of those projects, the 16 members of the club have great fun and enjoy fantastic fellowship, which is also evident at the club’s monthly meeting and at the many social gatherings the club members enjoy.”
Interested in getting involved? Contact the club Mark Meltzer on 071 157 9245 or email mark@carteragencies.co.za
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