Caring for their communities after successive winter storms
Lions look for ways to show kindness in all that they do
Lions and Leos are continually looking for ways to improve their community and the world around them. The Charlotte Lions Club in Keysville, Virginia responded when their community was hit not once, but twice, by successive winter storms. The club is another winner of the 2020-2021 Kindness Matters Service Award.
The needs of their neighbors brought out the Lion in these men and women.
Buried in snow and ice
In just a couple of weeks in 2021, south central Virginia was hit by a one-two punch of two winter storms that blanketed the eight-county region in snow and ice. Roads were blocked, trees were downed, structures were damaged and more than 48,000 homes and businesses had no electricity for up to two weeks, leaving residents in the cold and dark without food to eat.
Although many of their own households had been affected by the storms, members of the Charlotte Lions Club volunteered to provide hot meals to first responders and power company workers toiling around the clock to restore electricity. The club also obtained two US$10,000 Lions of Virginia Foundation (LOVF) Emergency Disaster Grants to provide gift cards to residents to help pay for food, prescription medications and fuel.
The club coordinated with eight other Lions clubs in the area to acquire gift cards in US$25 and US$50 increments and distributed them to 950 individuals who received potentially lifesaving goods and services.
No snow day for Lions
The Lions didn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic stop them from helping their community.
“The needs of their neighbors brought out the Lion in these men and women,” said First District Governor Helen Person. “Wearing masks, gloves and other PPE, these Lions delivered store cards and teamed with other Lions to make gallons of chili to feed first responders and power line workers working feverishly to restore electricity.”
Person says the service project also spread the word about the good work that Lions do. “One mayor was not familiar with Lions,” she said. “He is now interested in partnering with a neighboring community where the mayor is a Lion and is trying to recharge a dying club with fresh energy, and to support teens and young adults through Lions service.”
Person says the project exemplifies how Lions put kindness first in caring for their communities.
“This effort clearly speaks to the fact that where there’s a need, there’s a Lion,” she added.
See more kindness in action
The winning clubs represent all constitutional areas and show just how meaningful it is to be a Lion or Leo. View the complete list of the winners.
Annemarie Mannion is a freelance writer and former reporter for the Chicago Tribune who loves writing about the good work Lions do.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted communities around the world in different ways. To ensure we’re serving safely wherever we live, Lions should follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization or local health authorities. Visit our Serving Safely page for resources that can help you safely serve your community.
