Lions Den a hit with winning formula
Business raises funds, provides vital community service
Dannevirke Lions Den has started 2022 with a huge roar as the shop was inundated by customers last week, continuing the trend from 2021 and proving it is providing a vital service.
What started out to be a garage sale operation by Dannevirke Host Lions eight months ago has morphed into a second-hand business partly because it is a very good fund-raiser for the club but mostly because it has become almost an essential service for the community.
When residents heard Dannevirke Lions were selling second-hand goods to raise money for charities the phone started ringing.
People had quickly people realised the garage sales were an ideal solution to get rid of goods they no longer needed, but were simply too good to fill the landfill or too awkward to sell on line.
These goods are not unwanted because they are worn out.
Many baby-boomers are in the situation of down-sizing, and their children are not so keen to inherit
unwanted beds, dressers, fridges and other electrical goods as well as household utensils and crockery.
So Lions becomes a good option, donors knowing their goods will be recycled to other members of the public at a very reasonable price.
The Garage Sales boomed and the process became too big to operate on an ad hoc basis, so the Lions Den was set up in High St to run twice a week — Saturday and Thursday.
It has been six months and the Lions Club has been flat out coping with the flood of donations and the equally huge flood of customers seeking a bargain.
People have set up homes, provided furnishings for siblings, found exactly the right bed lamp or bookcase for their situation and many have become regular visitors to see what new things have come in.
The Den was so much in demand it did not close for Christmas until December 23.
Running in conjunction with the Den was the Lions Christmas Raffle which was well supported by the public — as much a public relations exercise as a fund raiser.
Three locals won the prizes — the Basket by Haley (wished to be anonymous), the $50 Dannevirke Mitre 10 Voucher by Bernie Roche and $50 Dannevirke Pharmacy voucher by Richard Veitch.
The Dannevirke Host Lions Club looks forward to 2022 when it will help fund different projects from the profits of both the raffle and The Den, one being an electric BBQ in the Lower Domain.