Letter to the Editor: Lions Make Some Christmas Changes

During this past year the Orcas Island Lions Club has had to make some hard decisions and among one of the hardest was that we are finding that we can no longer sponsor the Toys for Tots Program.

Lions International was founded to assist with funding for sight and hearing programs and as you are all probably aware the Orcas Island Lions supports much more than the islands sight and hearings programs. We also sponsor or contribute to Holiday baskets, the Easter Egg Hunt, Camp Horizon, the Lions Christmas Ship, the Food Bank and various island youth programs. During the past two years our tent rental income has decreased and the community requests for our core programs, eye glasses, hearing aids and cataract surgery, have increased.

You should also be aware that the Giving Tree at Island Market has also lost some major contributors this past year. With this in mind we have decided that it is better for us to give through the Giving Tree so that our dollars can reach those families most in need of the services. We would like to thank the community for support of our past efforts and would urge you all to continue that support by contributing directly to the tree.

If you are a family that has made use of our Toys for Tots program in the past, we urge you to contact Erin O’Dell of Orcas Family Connections 376-3184 for assistance or pick up an application for the Giving Tree at Island Market.

We would also like to remind everyone that the Lions Christmas Ship will once again be visiting the Orcas. The ship will arrive on December 11, at approximately 11:30am at the County dock at Orcas Landing. The Orcas Lions invite all of the Orcas Island Community to visit with Santa and share in this holiday celebration.

This event is being cosponsored by the Orcas Village Store that will once again be providing holiday treats. The Orcas Children’s Choir will be singing traditional carols and there will also be carolers and the holiday clowns arriving with the ship.

Hopefully in the future the Toys for Tots program will resurface maybe as a joint effort amongst the island service Clubs or maybe with everyone  focusing on the Giving Tree, we will be able to fill the void and ensure every family has a happy and fulfilling holiday.

Jim Biddick, President
Orcas Island Lions Club