LITTLE CURRENT—The Little Current Lions Club is truly remarkable in its fundraising feats. Since last Haweater Weekend, the Club has donated close to $90,000 back to the community.
Lion Treasurer Mike Dubreuil is a busy Lion, writing cheques on a pretty constant basis.
“We’re definitely going to go over $100,000 this year,” Lion Mike said of donations from the Little Current Lions.
From September 1, 2017 to July 18, 2018, the Lions have donated to the following groups and programs: Skate Canada Manitoulin, Manitoulin Centennial Manor, Little Current Public School, Royal Canadian Legion Branch #177, Manitoulin Genealogy Club, Lions Foundation of Canada (Dog Guides), Community Living Manitoulin, JumpStart, Little Current Howland Minor Hockey Association, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Manitoulin Family Resources, Manitoulin Student Aid Fund, Canadian Hearing Society, Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary, NEMI Public Library, Lions Camp Kirk, Diabetes Canada, Crimestoppers, NEMI Fire Department, Manitoulin Streams, Community Living Espanola, the Angel Bus, Howland Seniors’ Hall, Manitoulin Expositor Salmon Classic, Miss North Ontario sponsorship, Little Current Fish and Game Club, Little Current Yacht Club, North Shore Manitoulin Victim Services, NEMI Public Library Outreach, Manitoulin Navy League (Sea Cadets), Ride Manitoulin, Gateway to Life Church (Haweater soap box derby), NEMI summer ball hockey program, Wounded Warriors of Canada and many individuals and families who need a helping hand.
“We also have a $17,000 promise to the municipality (Northeast Town) for ball field improvements,” Lion Mike added.
The Lions are able to donate so much money thanks to their popular Catch the Ace draw held each Wednesday night as well as from the funds raised through Nevada ticket sales (which can be purchased at K&T Corner Store in Little Current).
“Since September 2017, we have handed out $112,271 in prizes from Catch the Ace,” Lion Mike explained. “The profit on that is about $100,000, which is how we give money back to the community. Over 90 percent of the money goes right back to the community. Our overhead is very small,” he added.
New this year, the Lions have also offered the opportunity for community groups to get in on the Catch the Ace action. For two week stints, if a group wants to help sell the tickets, each ticket sold by that group or organization makes $1 from every ticket sold—a pretty sweet deal. So far, the Lions have helped Community Living Manitoulin, Manitoulin Streams, the Angel Bus, Espanola Community Living and the Espanola Hospital Foundation this way.
“It’s sure nice giving the winning cheques out to Catch the Ace winners,” said Lion Mike. “It’s also nice to work with all the different groups. It creates lots of goodwill.”
“It’s pretty amazing that a little town like this generates all that money for charity,” the treasurer concluded.
