Lions serve community with pride
Fundraising efforts help boost a number of local causes
There are five Lions Clubs in the Ka¯piti district: O¯ taki, Ka¯piti, Ka¯piti Pakeke and Kapakapanui (based in Paraparaumu) and Waikanae.
In spite of the age of many serving Lions, and the impact of Covid, clubs have still provided a great service to our community over the last year.
Between them, over the past 12 months, clubs have gifted community donations and grants in excess of $110,000.
While the Lions clubs contribute to some International and New Zealand causes, most donations go to our local Ka¯piti community or to projects that will assist our community.
Combined club activities
Lions are recognised on the coast predominantly for their Annual Monster Bookfairs which are managed by a joint committee from the Waikanae & Paraparaumu based Lions clubs.
Each year clubs combine with the others (excluding O¯ taki) to run the annual bookfair which is managed by a Combined Lions clubs committee. The Bookfair raises close on $50,000 and the profits are distributed among the clubs to be donated to the individual organisations each club supports.
All also join together in promoting the Foodbank Street appeal and collecting the donated food. And as a fundraiser all clubs get involved in the twice-yearly delivery of the phone books.
Each club also has its own
individual activities and beneficiaries.
Otaki ¯ Lions Club
assisted with street appeals for groups such as Parkinson’s Action Group, the RSA Poppy Trust, the Salvation Army and Arohanui Hospice.
They donated to the Playscape playground at the Wellington Children’s Hospital and to Zero Waste Otaki to help with buying a second depot container and they also organised a fertiliser drive.
Lions Club of Ka¯ piti distributed $25,000 among
many organisations including the Mary Potter Hospice Foundation, the Ka¯piti Community Foodbank, Wellington Childrens’ Hospital and Camp Quality (for children with cancer) plus to local sports persons.
Also, along with the June Oakley Memorial Youth Trust Lions have, over the past four years, organised the popular Jazz in the Garden concert as a fund-raiser to assist the cul- tural and sporting aspirations of local young people. But sadly, the Covid lockdown saw the event postponed until next year.
The club also runs a fortnightly gardening roster for club members to manage the Mary Potter Hospice gardens and members help with the monthly Boccia games at the Stroke Foundation. They also assist at the staffing of the Strawberry Fair gate and assist when calls come in from individuals who need a bit of physical assistance. Ka¯ piti Pakeke Lions Club comprised mostly of retired people, are involved in fundraising for local charitable groups. They are also involved in the Lions Annual Bookfair and their share of profits went to Women’s Refuge, Birthright, Whale Song and the Coastguard. They also run an annual raffle with a playhouse as the main prize and proceeds from that this year went to the Life Flight Trust. They also produced an historic Kapiti calendar and the profits went to Wellington Free Ambulance. Kapakapanui Lions Club is comprised on average, of a younger age group. They and the Raumati Bowling Club were to hold a charity bowls tournament in March 2021 to raise funds for the Shed Project, which provides employment and vocational opportunities for local disabled and disadvantaged people.
Due to the change in level settings of Covid 19, the tournament was cancelled. With the support of their sponsors, who allowed them to carry over their sponsorship from the bowls tournament, they held a quiz night in May 2021 raising $3000 for the Shed Project, which used the money to help improve their working space.
In addition, donations were made to the Paeka¯ ka¯ riki Surf Club, the Playscape playground, Wellington Children’s Hospital and the Wellington Free Ambulance.
Waikanae Lions Club
The club gave $72,976 in donations and grants to organisations including Zeal, the Waikanae Fire Service and to the Ka¯piti Community Foodbank building fund and to the Cancer Society.
They also do their share with the Lions Annual Bookfair and the Foodbank Street appeal and in collecting the donated food.
Projects that had to be cancelled through Covid restrictions include the Waikanae Lions Garden Trail which normally attracts hundreds of people and raises significant funds, plus street days appeals for other organisations and the annual Christmas lunch which normally attracts up to 70 people who live alone and are not in retirement villages.
Anyone interested in learning more about Lions or joining a club should contact Andrew Laing on kapitilionsclubs@ lionsclubs.org.nz or at 905 1417.