(The Stittsville Lions top up their initial donation from their annual fundraiser to the Stittsville Food Bank bringing the total to $10,675. Photo: Submitted)
Every year the Stittsville Lions District Club hold their annual fundraiser to support local organizations. Again for 2021, the Lions chose as the recipient – the Stittsville Food Bank. In early December, the Club sent out an appeal letter to local businesses and residents asking for a donation. With their initial donation of $6,815 in December and this additional donation of $3,860, the Stittsville Lions have donated $10,675 from their annual fundraiser to the Stittsville Food Bank.
Beth Lewis, Treasurer of the Stittsville Lions told Stittsville Central, “this donation could not have been possible without the generosity of Stittsville’s local businesses and residents“. COVID-19 has affected many families and the need for help requires more support from the Stittsville Food Bank. “Families are suffering and finding it most difficult to make ends meet. Still, food has to be put on the table,” added Lewis.
The Stittsville Club is also entering into a new fundraising endeavour. They will be holding events, as restrictions permit, to support the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital with the construction of their new Emergency Department. With 30 to 40 percent of patients, from Stittsville, Richmond, Munster, Ashton and areas, receiving care at the hospital, the Lions are aware of the importance in supporting this construction project that will serve our local residents. Beth Lewis told us, “the hospital is old, built in 1955, and the Emergency Department requires a new building and upgraded equipment, we want to be there to help them, especially with so many from the community using the hospital.”
Reaching out to other Lions Clubs across the Ottawa area to help with contributions, the Stittsville Club is working hard to raise $12,500 by May to ensure this fundraising goal is achieved. This amount is the base for which the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) will match the amount by the fall. Lewis said, “We are pleased that this will be a joint project with other Ottawa area Lions Clubs.” The first fundraiser was held on February 19, with the Club holding a bottle drop to begin their road to raising funds for the hospital.
Beth continued, “This is one of our largest fundraisers to date. It has been a rough two years, with our hall being closed to outside events we’ve lost a lot income…no rentals or bar fees from wedding receptions or private parties, so when restrictions allow, we will be holding events again and will be using that money towards this important fundraiser.”
“We’ve been fortunate that the community has supported us throughout COVID by donating their empties to our bottle drops so we could continue donating to the causes important to Lions such as CHEO and Diabetes,” Lewis emphasized.
Watch for upcoming bottle drops that the Lions will be holding on the third Saturday of every month. Further announcements will be made for fundraising events held by the Stittsville Lions in support of the Carleton Place Hospital. Watch for these Lions events on our website.