A Christmas Eve tradition
Kingston Lions thank community with free-will breakfast Dec. 24
Santa’s helpers won’t be sleeping in on Christmas Eve in Kingston.
Instead, as most area residents lay sleeping in their beds on Dec. 24, the Kingston Lions are making their way to the hall at 5 a.m. The griddles are heating up and the smell of fresh coffee wafts through the cold December air and there is an electric energy among the men and women as they anticipate one of their favourite events of the year: the annual Kingston Lions Christmas Eve Day breakfast.
The tradition has been cherished in the Kingston and Greenwood area for the past 23 years. In 1993, when it first started, just over 100 breakfasts were served. Since then, the event has grown to the point where, in 2015, a record high of 1,003 breakfasts were served in just over three hours.
Past King Lion Rick Haiplik says the work done by the Kingston Lions wouldn’t be possible without help.
“The work we do could not be done without the generous and ongoing support of the surrounding community and businesses, and for this we are truly grateful,” he says. “This break- fast is a way for the Kingston Lions to thank the local community for their generous support provided to the club over the past year.”
The club tried to provide the breakfast at no charge in the past, but the generous members of our community would have nothing to do with it. They still wanted to donate, he said, telling the Lions to “use the money to help others less fortunate.” The breakfast has been a freewill offering since 2001, making it affordable for all to attend.
Senior Lion Hugh Moore has been a member of the club for 49 years and has welcomed people to the breakfast and accepted the free-will offerings at the event.
“It is heartwarming to see people come in, some giving a small amount but that small amount is in reality a large amount to them because of their situation, but they cheerfully say Merry Christmas, in the realization that there are others even less fortunate than they are,” he said.
All the free-will offerings that are collected go back into the community through support to the local food bank, youth and school programs, the Diabetes Foundation, CNIB, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, guide dogs, support to local hospitals, libraries, local camps and more.
Over the years, the Kingston Lions Christmas Eve breakfast has become a family tradition with parents, children, grandparents and extended family making a point to come out and share the spirit of the season with their friends, neighbours and co-workers. When the hall opens up at 6 a.m., many local businesses and their employees stop by to beat the rush and “start the day off right” - in readiness for the last frenzied day of serving shoppers and clients before Christmas.
The Lions serve up pancakes, hash browns, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham, toast, coffee, tea and juice and, after the final breakfasts are served at 10 a.m., the cleanup begins and is wrapped up by noon, giving the volunteers time to complete their own last-minute Christmas preparations done.