The Darien Lions Club membership recently approved donations ranging from $250 to $3,000, to 16 different organizations based in or near the community. Recipients included:

• Bids for Kids/Giant Steps Program
• Bolingbrook Beep Baseball
• Chicago Comets Beep Baseball
• Child’s Voice
• Cub Scout Pack 36     
• Darien Chamber of Commerce
• Darien Historical Society
• DuPage  PADS
• Honor Flight Chicago
• Indian Prairie Public Library
• Lighthouse for the Blind
• Our Lady of Peace Food Pantry
• Our Lady-Mt. Carmel Food Pantry
• Peoples Resource Center
• Seaspar Golden Eagles
• Someone Special

During the past year the club also made financial donations to eight local families in financial need, four other Lions-related programs for the vision/hearing impaired, scholarships for college-bound students at Hinsdale South and Downers South High Schools, a learning initiative at District 61 schools and funds for tornado victims in downstate Harrisburg.

Donations totaled $26,550, and supplement club-sponsored annual community activities such as the Fourth of July Parade, Halloween party, blood drive and distribution of holiday food baskets to the needy. 

According to Lion Ralph Beardsley, the club raises funds throughout the year through events such as its “Big Raffle” in June in conjunction with an annual golf outing, as well as the group’s pancake day/breakfast held in March and other activities.

Beardsely said tax-deductible donations may be made to the club at anytime by sending a check to the Darien Lions Club Foundation, 1702 Plainfield Road, Darien, IL 60561. Donations may also be made to the club during the holidays, he added, to cover the cost of one food basket for a needy family (approximately $60).

“The Darien Lions Club sincerely thanks our community for its ongoing support, enabling us to ‘give back’ to so many worthy causes such as these,” Beardsley said.

The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. For more information visit the Darien Lions Club website.