by Doreen Martel
6/1/2019

The donations we received from area business owners included gift baskets, gift certificates for goods or services, and in some cases, large items which allowed us to conduct auctions. These donations make it possible for us to continue providing funding for a variety of programs supporting Holliston, District 33K Lions, Multiple District 33 Lion and Lions Clubs International. Once again, this is a good time to remind everyone that the funds we raise from the public are donated 100 percent to worthy causes; all administrative costs associated with the operating costs of the Holliston Lions Club are raised from member’s dues payments.

New Officers for the New Year

On July 1, 2019, the Holliston Lions will have a new President. For the 2019 – 2020 Lions year, Doreen Martel will become President. Matthew Putvinski and Debbie Kerrigan will serve as Vice President’s of the Club. Tom Merritt will be the Club Secretary while Betty Harris will continue to serve as Treasurer. The Clubs Board of Directors will be comprised of Chris Gaboriault, Carolyn Tierney, Ged Gove and Louise Kirkpatrick. Ed Daniels, the current President will serve as Immediate Past President and the Club's Chair of Lions Clubs International Foundation.

New Opportunities Explored

Like most charitable organizations, the Holliston Lions Club sticks with what they know works! For example, this is the 57th year we have sponsored a carnival, our $10,000 raffle is entering its 14th year and we have sponsored Breakfast with Santa for nearly two decades. However, we also know we cannot just sit still and hope for the best! This past year, we added a new service project to our calendar and served breakfast for residents of Mission Springs. This breakfast came about in an effort to allow members of the Holliston Lions Club who have young families to participate in an event where their children would feel comfortable. This event was a huge success both in terms of participation from the Club and the residents certainly welcomed our presence. During the upcoming year, we hope to expand this fun service project to twice a year, and perhaps more frequently should we determine that is feasible.

Expanding Lions Opportunities for Youth

The Holliston Lions Club is proud of the work they do with young people in Holliston. We currently sponsor the Holliston Leo Club which provides high school students an opportunity to participate in service projects and provides them with leadership experience. We have also been avid supporters of the Massachusetts Lions All State Band program which provides those who enjoy music to participate at an annual concert held during the Lions State Convention in April each year. Any student who wishes to learn more about the All State Band program is encouraged to reach out to the Holliston Lions Club if they are interested in participating in this program.

There are two other programs the Holliston Lions Club sponsors to encourage youth to be actively involved in various activities. The first is the Lions International Peace Poster Contest. This contest is open to any student who will be 11, 12 or 13 years of age on/before November 15, 2019. This year’s theme is “Journey of Peace” and the deadline to submit a poster (or an essay for those who are visually impaired) must be submitted to the Holliston Lions Club not later than October 15, 2019. Any student who is interested in participating in this contest is strongly encouraged to contact the Holliston Lions Club as soon as possible. We are happy to help ensure you get the best chance possible of having your poster displayed at the United Nations event in March of 2020.

The second program is the Lions Youth Speech Contest — this contest is conducted annually throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is open to foreign exchange, charter school, private school, home schooled, or independent study students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. If this is something which interests you please feel free to reach out to us.

The Holliston Lions Club is committed to remaining as active during the 2019 – 2020 Lions year as they have been for the past 79 years and our commitment to providing services for those with visual impairments, supporting Holliston students who are seeking to further their education, and supporting community events remains as strong today as it has ever been.

We thank our sponsors, advertisers, and those who have donated time, money and talent to helping us carry on our mission of “We Serve”. Members of the community who may be interested in learning more about the Holliston Lions Club should contact our Membership Chairperson Lion Steve Apesos via email at Membership@HollistonLions.org, or any Holliston Lions Club member.