Three charity organizations recently collaborated intending to look out for the community and aid by “serving” to make it a better place, one person at a time.
The Lions Club of Lady Lake Orange Blossom Gardens (OBG), the Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake and the Aktion Club of Lady Lake, a subsidiary of the Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake formed up of special needs individuals, teamed up to support those in need across the community.
Respective projects include processing treats for LovExtension, a nonprofit organization that provides support and food for the elderly and disabled. Moreover, preparing snack packs for students at The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake and Fruitland Park Elementary schools to eat during spring break were among the projects completed.
Cleve Tinsley, a member of the Lady Lake Kiwanis Club, said, “It’s always a pleasure to get together for the good of the community. Over the years, our clubs have established a strong relationship, and we try to complement each other’s activities whenever possible.”
The three groups partnered to pack enough food for around 700 children who would otherwise go hungry over the summer.
“If we can help each other, it makes everything so much easier,” said Judy Kohn, a member of the OBG Lions Club. “So many people don’t realize the amount of work that goes into every project we do. Working together lessens the load and makes it more fun and enjoyable.” The OBG Lions Club president, Doris Turlo, said the clubs’ joining together was fantastic.
“When we get to work together, we love it,” the Village Del Mar resident said. “When we work together, it’s always a great experience for all.”
The Lions also prepared and donated 25 dozen home-baked cookies to LovExtension to add to its food deliveries before packing the snack packs.
“Everyone deserves a treat,” said the Village of Silver Lake resident Kohn. “The Cookie Crusade is a project run by our club to assist those in need. We want to be able to show people that we care for them, and that we love them.”
Following the packing, the Lions decided to support the Aktion and Kiwanis clubs.
“Many fundraisers have been drastically reduced as a result of COVID-19, so we donated some to them to support their projects,” Turlo said.
Tinsley, of the Village of Calumet Grove, was delighted to be able to assist, but she hadn’t expected the donation.
He explained, “They taught us how to pack the food, which helped us pack more than we expected. They gave us $1,500 for our spring backpack project and then gave the Aktion Club another $800 to help members attend the Florida Kiwanis District Aktion Club Conference later this year.”
Although the groups can endorse some of the same projects, they all agree that they can’t wait to collaborate again. “Working together strengthens our bonds,” Kohn said. “What better way to prove that we all want to support the group than to band together?”
– Attributed Source, The Villages Daily Sun