Even small lions can roar across the savannahs.
Take the Port McNicoll Lion's Club for example. With only 13 active members, the club has been running a Christmas Hamper and Toy Project for families across Tay Township for at least 35 years.
It's been at least 35 years because Joe Vaillancourt has been a member for 35 years and it's been operating since he joined in 1989.
"Joe organizes the food part of it and I do the toy part of it but all the other Lions members are actively helping," says Cindy Vaillancourt, a Lions Club volunteer.
"We start raising money in January. It's our big project every year."
Funds are raised from bingo nights, barbecues, corn roasts, pancake breakfasts, quilt draws and food drives to support the Hamper program.
"We couldn't do it without the entire village and the volunteers that help us because they all come out for everything the Lions Club does," Cindy says.
The club set a limit of 40 hampers this year, but added two more for 42 families, a total that includes 92 children. Last year, they served 37 families with 87 children.
"It's going up every year," Cindy adds.
Families get a full Christmas dinner and a couple of boxes of food staples. Each child receives a bag with five or six toys. Hampers are handed out on Dec. 21 by appointment. Applications are no longer being taken.
What's different about Port McNicoll's Christmas Hampers is that they are for people not supported by social agencies. Toys donated through the CTV Barrie Toy Mountain get distributed to children whose families are clients of Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions. That leaves out lots of families in need, says Cindy.
"We have grandparents raising grandchildren. I would say that's an epidemic right now," Cindy says. "I actually have a great-grandmother raising great-grandchildren."
Last year, hampers went to five families headed by grandparents. This year it's nine.
Hampers also go to single seniors or senior couples who are struggling to live on the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security.
"I had a lady this week who is living on $1,100 a month, so its tough for seniors," Cindy adds.
The Lion's program is also helping families with members who have cancer and have extra expenses associated with treatment. They are also helping two families whose home was destroyed by fire.
"It's a whole wide range of people. It's not just people who are having a hard time money wise, it's people dealing with life crises," she said.
The last fundraiser of the year is the pancake breakfast on Dec. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Port McNicoll Community Centre at 558 7th Avenue.
The Vaillancourt's children are grown, so helping other families is what they like to do.
"What makes our Christmas is to see the people when they pick up the hampers and they are so excited that the kids are going to have a good Christmas," Cindy says. "We'll do everything we can to make sure other families aren't left out."
The Port McNicoll Lions Club welcomes new members. Meetings are the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Port McNicoll Lions Club House at 501 Alberta St., Port McNicoll. For more information email [email protected].
