2020-2021 A Year in Review

May 27, 2021

During the 2020/2021 fiscal year, the Newmarket Lions Club was able to overcome the many challenges presented by the pandemic. The Club continued to live up to our motto “We Serve”. The Club’s Santa Fund program was able to find a new venue and continued to support families in need. 340 Food vouchers were distributed in a 2-day blitz! Our Coats for Kids program, in conjunction with the Newmarket North Lions, was sporadic, but 240 winter coats were distributed. Meals were provided at the Inn From The Cold shelter and a donation was made to the local Food Pantry. We cleaned up the community and sponsored a Lions Club District Peace Poster winner from Maple Leaf public school! The Club rose to the challenge and found new ways to serve our community! Snacks provided to front line workers, tablets donated to Seniors Homes, Long-Term Care residents and the Margaret Bahen hospice, patient care packages for Southlake hospital, and financial support was provided to the Paediatric Cancer unit of Southlake. The Newmarket Lions Club celebrates 90 years of service to the Newmarket community in 2021 and we will continue to serve into the future!

Donation to Southlake Foundation April 23, 2021

Corinna Jones of Southlake Foundation receives a cheque from Lion Kirby of the Newmarket Lions Club to build Covid safe storage, purchase Covid safe toys and create a child’s mural in the Paediatric Oncology treatment room!

Tablets for Margaret Bahen Hospice, March 22, 2021

Newmarket Lion Richard Poulin, Margaret Bahen Hospice director of care Tamara Henninger and director of development Jennifer Adams, Lion Megan Bennett, vice-president of hospice palliative care Carol Edward, Lion Rick Metcalfe, Margaret Bahen Hospice president & CEO Sonya Murray, and Lion Sylvia Brock are present for the presentation of 10 tablets for hospice guests on March 22.

Greg King for NewmarketToday

Quilts for Paediatric Cancer Patients, March 22, 2021

Trudy Forster has been making quilts for the young patients at the Pediatric Oncology Clinic in the Stronach Cancer Centre. At present she has completed 36 quilts and hopes to complete 6 additional quilts a month to accommodate any new patients. The Newmarket Lions Club has partnered with Trudy to provide funds to purchase quilting materials to be used to make the quilts!

Xmas 2020 Santa Fund

This year the Newmarket Lions Club Distributed 385 food vouchers to 1,200 people at a cost of $38,000.”

Thank you to all the supporters who gave generously to make this happen.

Article in Newmarket Today

Preparing the Community Meal at Inn from the Cold, January 23, 2021

Tablets donated to Southlake hospital Paediatric Oncology unit, December 2020

Tablets donated to Long Term Care homes, November 2020

Crossland PS Snack program

Thank you Letter

Coats for Kids held a one day give away of winter clothing- October 10, 2020.

Community Clean up! June 20th, 2020

Support for Front Line workers at the Newmarket Health Centre

The Newmarket Lions held a parade on May 12 to show our appreciation to the staff at the Newmarket Health Centre, Cars were decorated and drove by honking horns before stopping to deliver water and snacks for the staff. Even during the Pandemic, the Newmarket Lions are helping our community. Reach out to us if you have a need.

We are still helping our community where we can. $5,000 donation to the Newmarket Food Pantry

“During this pandemic, the Newmarket Food Pantry has seen a significant increase in the number of people needing their services and, at the same time, there has been a decrease in food donations, while expenses have increased due to their added cost of delivering the food to their clients,” Lions club president Sylvia Brock said.

“The Newmarket Lions Club made the donation to help the food pantry continue to deliver their necessary service.”

Read the Newmarket Today article

Southlake Covid-19 Support March 31, 2020

“We received a wish list from staff that included bottles of water, juice boxes, cookies, candy and other individually wrapped treats, individual packs of Kleenex, and Chapsticks,” Lions spokesperson Rick Metcalfe said. “The Newmarket Lions Club thanks the many emergency workers for the work they are doing in this stressful time.”

Click here to read the Newmarket Today article.

The Newmarket Lions Club delivered $3,500.00 of snacks and drinks to Southlake Hospital.

Newmarket Today article.

Good Afternoon Kirby,

I hope you’re taking some time to relax after all that hard work today. Adventure indeed!

I can’t thank you enough for this massive contribution. Because we fundraise too, we know full well how long and hard the effort is to coordinate a contribution like this. It’s the power of many, and multiple hands coming together doing the work and the willingness of community to partners to help as well. It’s a testament to the Lions that your group was able to secure so much in product on such short notice and deliver to the hospital for our staffs benefit. THANK YOU!

I have been speaking with our hospital partners at many times today discussing this much anticipated delivery, between the receiving the department and the department that manages distribution. I can tell you without a doubt that the need is there.

The people who run the wellness cart initiative, and deal with distribution reach about 600-800 people every time they go out with the cart. And without your delivery today they were anticipating to run out of supplies this week. I also alerted them that you had made flyers to go out with the cart goodies, they will also distribute your thank you flyers and also put a 11×14 sign on the side of the carts with the message that the goodies being enjoyed over the next week or so were generously donated by the Newmarket Lions Club. I will also forward the information regarding the local stores who contributed to your cause as well. It’s not only important to us that we let staff know who they can thank, the staff are so appreciative they want to know where they can direct their own appreciation, so be prepared for much gratitude sent your way over the next little while.

I know you did your best to alert the media, thank you for doing your part. Like I said yesterday, we are in a very fluid situation with changes happening on the hour, I thank you for respecting the new policy regarding photos on site. That said. I’d love to see the photos you took, so send them along via email and I’ll have them out on social media and have you tagged so you can share on your social channels as well.

Thank you once again Kirby, please pass along my most heartfelt gratitude to all the Lions, you’ve always been there to help our community, and have certainly stepped up in this time of uncertainty and crisis. Thank you,

Sincerely,

Aisha

Aisha Talarico

Development Officer

Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation

Effective Speaking 2020

The Newmarket Lions Club held its Effective Speaking contest on March 7.

Twenty six contestants participated in both English and French at the Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels.

Twelve individuals were selected to attend the District competition on March 28. Congratulations to all participants.

Reading Action Meadowbrook PS 2020

The Newmarket Lions Club with assistance from the North Newmarket Lions Club, gave out free books to SK students at Meadowbrook Public School on Feb 20, 2020.

Reading Action Armitage Village PS 2020

The Newmarket Lions Club with assistance from the North Newmarket Lions Club, gave out 77 free books to SK students at Armitage Public School on Feb 18, 2020.

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Winterfest 2020

Over 300 people were served pancakes, ham, juice, coffee for Winterfest on Feb 15, 2020.

The work crew is preparing the meal.

The inside crew serving.

Vision Screening 2020

The Newmarket Lions Club with the assistance of members of the North Newmarket Lions club, has completed it’s whirlwind vision screening of SK public school children in Newmarket!

328 students were screened in 13 elementary schools. This is 62% of the Senior Kindergarten students in the schools we visited. This service is provided FREE of charge!