Lions continue to come to the aid of Pine Islanders
For several decades, the Pine Island Lions Club has made many contributions to the island community. In addition to providing help with hearing aides, prescription eye glasses and hearing and eye exams, the Lions have also contributed in many other ways.
Most recently, this organization continued to show its support by presenting a donation to the Pine Island Little League. During this year’s July 4 parade, members of the Lions began selling raffle tickets to raise money for the league. The prize was a new bicycle and the lucky winner as Charles Brown of Fort Myers.
The money collected from the raffle ticket sales enabled the Lions to present a check in the amount of $632, which was presented to Little League volunteers, Jamie and Lori Bartolotta.
“This money is very much appreciated and will help to defray the cost of maintaining our fields and to provide equipment for the kids,” said Bartolotta. “I am very passionate about Little League because it not only teaches the kids sportsmanship while having a good time, but gives them an alternative to hanging out watching TV or playing video games.”
In the past, donations such as those presented by the Lions have gone to make improvements to the Little League field with new bleachers and a scoreboard, as well as enabling the league’s board to purchase new equipment and uniforms for the children participating.
Among the active members of the Pine Island Lions Club is island resident Rubye Woodhead, who has been a member since 1998.
“Recently we have placed a new piece of equipment in the children’s park in St. James City. It is a small seesaw suitable for children ages 1 through 4, and we are pleased to be dedicating it in the name of our former president Vi Barret,” said Woodhead. “For a small group, we do manage to get involved in the community and get a lot done.”
According to Woodhead, the current membership of the Lions Club is between 10 and 15 members.
“I have been involved with the club for many years and this year it seems we have a lot of new faces and are hoping many more will join us,” she said.
In addition to sponsoring and maintaining the chidlren’s park located on Fifth Avenue in St. James City, in the past the Pine Island Lions Club has sponsored guide dogs for the sight and hearing impaired and collected cancelled postage stamps and cell phones to be recycled.
Other groups that benefit from the hard work of this small group of dedicated individuals are Calusa Land Trust, the Conklin Center for the Blind, the Eye Bank, Lions Camp for visually impaired children, the island scouting programs, FISH, Friends of the Pine Island Library, the Museum of the Islands, the Pine Island Fire Department, Salvation Army, the Visually Impaired Center, People to People, Cancer Awareness, the Pine Island Food Pantry, radio reading for the blind and Pennies for Pooches.
The biggest fund-raiser hosted by the Lions Club will be the upcoming Mock Governor’s Election which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 6, 2010. During this event the current reigning mayors of Matlacha, Bokeelia and St. James City fill face off for the honor of being named “governor” of Pine Island. This year’s mayors are Deb Cole from Matlacha, who ran her campaign out of Bert’s Bar and Grill; Lorretta Williams-Simms of Bokeelia, who ran her campaign from Capt. Con’s Restaurant; and Ethel Gilbert of St. James City, who was sponsored for the race by the Pine Island VFW.
All proceeds from this upcoming election will be dedicated to various charities on Pine Island and several scholarships for qualifying students in the community as well as eyeglasses and hearing aides for those in need on Pine Island.
According to Woodhead, the need for assistance for eyeglasses has increased substantially this year.
“This summer alone we have helped provide screening and eyeglasses for six people,” said Woodhead. “Because of the economy, islanders are finding it increasingly difficult to afford things like glasses and they have been coming to us for help.”
The Pine Island Lions Club meets on the second and fourth Monday from October through May at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church just south of the center. For more information, call Pine Island Lions Club president, Mary Von Burg at 283-9761.