When she was growing up, my wife experienced going to school hungry, without breakfast and often going to bed hungry too. Sometimes her parents couldn’t afford to refill the oil tank to keep the furnace running in winter. I told her about the Fenwick Lions Club food drive in support of Pelham Cares. She immediately grabbed a big box and filled it with food items from our pantry. She wants to chip in and do her part to help those less fortunate because she had walked many miles in their shoes years ago.
As a member of the Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club, I was in attendance at the meeting October 18th when the club donated food and a $6,000 cheque to Pelham Cares. Bob Whitelaw and Greg Lewis, of Pelham Cares, were there to accept our donations. They gave an eye-opening presentation as they discussed how Pelham Cares feeds 250 mouths per month. Unfortunately, their client base has been growing recently. Many of the families that come to the food bank have two wage-earners and still have trouble making ends meet.
Pelham Cares also delivers social services to people in Pelham with particular emphasis on services not provided by other organizations. The services they offer have evolved from providing food and friendly visits to also include personal hygiene products and household items. They provide transportation to medical appointments and sponsor young people for participation in sports, recreational and educational activities. Anyone wishing to make food donations can bring them to Pelham Cares at 191 Hwy 20 East in Fonthill.
I looked around the room during the meeting and could see just how proud the Lions were for making this donation to such a worthy cause. We work hard and have fun doing various activities to raise funds and better the community. Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a Lion can contact the Fenwick Lions Club.
Mike Manzoni
Member Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club
