POTTSVILLE — Saying it was a pleasure and an honor, Pottsville Lions Charities president Jerry Enders announced donations to 16 nonprofits in the Pottsville Zone.
“Hopefully, this helps everybody a little bit,” Enders told representatives of the nonprofits. “We’re up a bit; our investments had a good year.”
Joseph Mehalko, treasurer, said the Lions Charities raises the funds from investments with the Schuylkill County Community Foundation and private donations.
An arm of the Pottsville Lions Club, Lions Charities donated $3,700 to nonprofits ranging from St. Joseph Center for Special Learning to the Pottsville Soap Box Derby.
In response to the devastation of Hurricane Helene, the Lions donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund through Lions International.
The donations were announced at the Pottsville Lions Club monthly meeting, where representatives of the nonprofits were guests.
James Humphrey, president, said the event is in keeping with the Lions’ motto, “We Serve.”
“We’re a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits,” said Humphrey, a Pottsville funeral director, who has headed the club for 12 years.
One of the area’s longest running service clubs, the Pottsville Lions was organized 101 years ago.
Club members John D. W. Reiley was district governor in 1971-72 and Paul D. Heck was district governor in 1982-83.
Diana Prosymchak, executive director, said the Lions’ donation helps defray the costs of operating the Schuylkill County Historical Society.
In appreciation, she said, the society is naming one of the new windows currently being installed in its headquarters, the former Center Street Grammar School, in the Lions’ honor.
Jessica Hazelton, office manager, said the donation comes at a critical time for the Hillside SPCA.
“We’re in a cat crisis,” she said, noting the Pottsville facility has 150 cats. “Our shelter is full.”
A lot of animals are being dumped off, she said, and people are moving and leaving their animals behind.
“We’re struggling,” Hazelton said. “A donation like this means everything to us.”
Becki White, reference librarian, represented the Pottsville Free Public Library.
The donation helps pay for library services, she said, which go beyond books and story time.
The library offers a popular Golden Girls Bingo, and members can check out tools and sewing and embroidery machines on loan.
The library is participating in Small Business Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 30 and is holding Storytime With Santa 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7.
Other recipients of Lions’ donations are: Lasting Legacy Christmas event; Lions’ Leader Dog for the Blind; Majestic Theater’s Lions Christmas movie; Pottsville Boys Basketball League; Pottsville Tourism Commission and Schuylkill Community Action, Toys for Tots and Pottsville Winter Carnival.
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