The Lion’s Club of St John’s marked its 5th anniversary last week with the highlight being an event to meet with the major media houses on the island to seek their support in helping to advance their work in the various communities that they serve.

Club President Gloria Bonaparte addressed the gathering at a cocktail reception held at Newlo headquarters at Palmiste in St John on October 2.

She spoke about the many projects undertaken by the club which serves not only St John but the bordering parish of St Mark.

According to Lion Gloria, the members of the Club are often engaged in fund-raising efforts in order to raise the finance needed to carry out its activities.

“Any money that we generate comes from the public and we give it all back to the public,” she said.

The Club President stated that the guiding principle of the Lion’s Club is to provide the best quality of service to various communities.

“Our projects are geared towards improving the health and well-being of citizens in a multiplicity of areas in St John and St Mark,” she said.

In looking back at the achievements of the Lion’s Club since its formation, Lion Gloria indicated that it was able to undertake eye screening for every Grade 6 student in the 7 primary schools in the two parishes and that all students who were eligible to receive glasses got them.

In addition, the club gave every school in the two districts a Reading Screen chart so that the teachers can test the eyes of children for themselves.

In the area of cancer, the club was able to make a donation of a microwave to the Oncology Ward at the St George’s General Hospital and the children of cancer patients were given a package of school supplies and other needs as identified by their parents.

Lion Gloria disclosed that the club was also engaged in beach clean-ups, and tree planting in some areas in the two parishes as part of its Environmental programme.

She also said it was engaged in the fight against Diabetes by assisting in Feet care for Caregivers of Homes for the Aged as well as Shut-ins, as well as in Testing of blood levels to deal with persons affected by the disease.

The club also collaborated with the St Peter’s R.C Church Soup Kitchen and the Elderly Mission Support Group in Concord to provide hot meals to needy residents.

According to Lion Gloria, the club also worked with local farmers and the Marketing Board to provide fruits and fruit bowls to students in primary schools in St John and St Mark.

She also mentioned an event in which the members of the Lion’s Club brought together all the “privileged young men and young women in the parish of St John” and “we gave them a nice bath, a hot meal and a care package to take home.”

She said that the organisation also had several barbers on hand to provide a haircut for the young men.

She also told the ceremony that the Club is planning to distribute in December Christmas Hampers for about 50 needy families in the two parishes.

The Lion’s Club was able to distribute Food Hampers to over 500 recipients in St John and St Mark as part of its community outreach work.

With respect to plans for 2024, Lion Gloria announced that some branded t-shirts will be put on sale to raise funds to purchase prosthetic legs for those who lost theirs through amputation.