You may have donated and received a roll of candy or maybe you attend the annual chicken dinner, if so you have helped to support the efforts of the Riverside Township Lions Club. The two events are the club’s only fund-raising efforts to generate money to distribute to various causes.
Have you ever wondered where the money goes? Each year the club forms a committee from its membership to disburse the funds. The distribution of funds is separated into two categories, Sight and Sound and Community.
This year in the Sight and Sound category money was given to the Chicago Hearing Company, Dogs for the Deaf, Chicago Lighthouse, Second Sense, Hadley School for the Blind and the North Riverside and Riverside libraries. The local libraries have been able to purchase equipment to aid those patrons who may need audio or visual aid to make use of the libraries.
Community funding has been given to Pillars Community Services, Helping Hand, People Care, Seguin Services, Aging Care Connection, Scottish Home, Riverside Township, Live Out Loud, and Hines Fisher House. Monies were also sent to Lions Hurricane Relief Fund.
While Lions International puts much of the emphasis on aiding in the areas of sight and sound, the local club supports the International causes but is seeking to be a presence on the local level. Requests for help are reviewed by the committee and approved by the club for disbursement.
The Lions also continue to collect eyeglasses which are brought to a central location where they are cleaned to be distributed to those in need. The Riverside Club within the past year has collected over 600 pairs of glasses. They may be dropped off at the Riverside Township Hall or at the North Riverside Commons.
So now you know what happens to that dollar or the change you dropped in the bucket for a roll of candy or the proceeds from the purchase of a Chicken Dinner ticket. Speaking of the Chicken Dinner it is coming up on April 15. Here is your chance to have a good chicken dinner (White Fence Farm) with all the fixins’ and know that you are helping to support a number of causes. Sounds like a winner, winner chicken dinner to me!
