Tirau Lions go for the full swing

It is a hole in one for Tirau Lions Club which managed to donate a whopping $ 10,500 to a Hamilton cancer lodge.

About 80 golfers turned up to the club’s Waitangi Day golf tournament to raise money for the Lions’ Cancer Lodge.

In an effort to contribute $ 3 million toward the $15 million Hamilton facility, Waikato and Bay of Plenty Clubs have pitched in.

Secretary Lois Gardiner has knocked on many hundreds of doors throughout the South Waikato in the past seven years.

‘‘It would be at least a full two weeks by the time you add it all up it’s quite a lot of work and involvement but we enjoy what we do because we are Lions,’’ she said.

And what she received was pure generosity.

‘‘It’s really really good, it’s for a good cause because people can go and stay there for free or some people give a donation – some people can give us hats, caps and umbrellas, vouchers or jewellery,’’ she said.

Though there are some Matamata sponsors, Gardiner said the majority are local.

Even before the event the club managed to rally up about $7000 towards to the total.

Although generosity is the key to the substantial cheque she said it also comes down to their reputation.

‘‘ Lions are known in the community and people know the Lions give to good causes,’’ she said.

The Tirau Lions Club has been running the event for over a decade.

Gardiner hopes to see it continue for the next Waitangi Day event in 2015.

Cancer Society communication manager Rachael Mounsey said the Tirau Lions have been ‘‘incredibly generous.’’

‘‘We are so grateful to the Lions [nationwide] as they make a lot of what we do possible,’’ she said.

Mounsey said the region’s Lions clubs have raised over $1.5 million in just three years.

There are numerous other clubs are helping towards the cause.