Chelmsford Lions hand out $70K

 After two years of fundraising, the Chelmsford Lions Club has handed out $70,000 worth of cheques to 11 different community organizations.

“The Lions Club is here to help the community,” Pauline Belzil, club president, said. “All the money raised came from small fundraising events like barbecues, garage sales and also Western Days.”

The volunteer club has been helping the community for more than 40 years and raising money for vital community organizations, Belzil said.

The organizations included: Maison Vale Hospice, $20,000; St. Joseph Church, $10,000; St. Alexander Church, $10,000; Chelmsford High School – bursary, $1,000; École Secondaire Catholique Champlain- graduate bursary, $1,000; École Secondaire Catholique Champlain – hockey team, $1,000; Rayside Tiger Cats, $800; Chelmsford boy scouts, $1,000; and Chelmsford Figure Skating Club, $1,000.

Leo Therrien, the executive director of Maison Vale Hospice, was thrilled to accept the $20,000 cheque on behalf of the hospice.

“(This) makes a huge difference for the hospice because we have to raise close to a $1 million every year,” Therrien said.

The money will go toward two Maison Vale projects, a boardwalk that loops around the hospice property on the shore of Bethel Lake, and a children’s play area. The hospice provides 24-hour palliative care to more than 100 residents a year.

St. Gabriel’s Villa, the new 128-bed long-term care home in Chelmsford, also received $20,000 from the Lions Club. Gloria Richer, site administrator, said they will be using the donation to continue developing the gardens for residents.

Besides the villa, several clubs and services in Chelmsford also received donations, including the Maison d’Amitié Food Bank, which received $5,000 to help it continue to feed those in need.

“We hand out between 75 and 125 boxes of food a week,” said food bank co-ordinator Bill Goddard.

The Lions Club has supported the food bank for more than 10 years.

Posted by Laurel Myers