Lions pitch in to help the environment

COVID restrictions might have put a stop to Torquay Lions Club’s fundraising activities but it hasn’t stopped them from making a difference in the community.

Instead of hosting its usual fundraising events, the club has switched its emphasis to caring for the environment and its ongoing community work.

Club president Neil Roche said local members had been busy wood gathering and collecting old plastic plant guards abandoned in the Moonah Woodlands at the east end of The Esplanade.

“I believe caring for our fragile environment is critical today to ensure it’s OK for future generations,” he said.

“Liaising with Surf Coast Shire officers, we offered to help clean up the Moonah Woodlands, collecting long abandoned stakes and plastic left lying about in this wonderful native reservation.

“Our environment project has become also a recycling project as the wooden stakes and some of the plastic guards will be recycled for use in future plantings.”

Mr Roche said Torquay Lions collected hundreds of old stakes and numerous bags of disintegrating plastic during one morning of work.

He said the club always mixed fundraising with projects to help individuals and groups in the Torquay area.

“Because we are restricted in our fundraising activities at this time, we are spending more time on community activities, but, hopefully, it will not be too long before we can raise funds to give back to the community and continue helping others needing support in these uncertain times.”

Together with its environmental focus, Torquay Lions has also taken part in ‘Lions Operation Teddy Bear’ which supply bears to Police, SES, CFA and others for situations where children might become anxious and stressed.

“As well, Lions provide teams to deliver meals distributed by Feed Me Surf Coast, a voluntary food and meals distributor based in Torquay,” Mr Roche said.

“The number of meals distributed each week has caused the Lions to call out for more volunteer drivers to help on Thursdays when most meals are delivered each week.”

Despite COVID restrictions causing a large drop in funds raised from community events, Torquay Lions was still able to make a financial difference to those in need during the last financial year.

“We were able to help numerous people or organisations like Foundation 61, a rehabilitation centre which helps men rebuild their broken lives,” Mr Roche said.

“Overall, we managed to disburse almost $35,000 to worthy recipients in our region, nationwide or internationally to help with natural disasters.”