By Debbie Adams
The Vinton Breakfast Lions Club held their annual Christmas shopping trip for local elementary school students in need at Herman L. Horn and W. E. Cundiff Elementary Schools at the Bonsack Walmart on Nov. 16. Children are recommended by the guidance staff and administration at their schools.
Not only were there Lions Club members checking off their lists and filling up their shopping carts, members of the Vinton Police Department, and William Byrd Leo Club members volunteered their time as well.
The Lions shopped for a total of 20 students, buying them clothing, shoes, coats and one toy, spending about $125 per child. The club receives lists of clothing sizes for the children for the shopping trip.
Walmart front end manager Kevin Dixon along with Associates Annette Johnson and Amber Habeck moved the process along and helped the Lions bag the gifts. The Lions will meet at the Vinton Moose Lodge to wrap the gifts and then coordinate with the schools on delivery in time for the holidays.
The Breakfast Lions will be hosting their annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser on Dec. 1 at the VFW located at 117 East Lee Avenue in downtown Vinton. The dinner is traditionally held the evening of the Vinton Christmas Parade.
This year’s dinner is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The meal includes “all you can eat” spaghetti, salad, a dinner roll, and dessert with tea or coffee. Tickets are available in advance from club members or may be purchased at the door.
Proceeds from the fundraiser go to the multitude of community service projects the Lions undertake each year—including the Christmas shopping trip.
The Breakfast Lions also held a Food Drive at the Vinton Food Lion on Nov. 12, which was Lions Club Day in the state of Virginia. Contributions went to the food pantry at Vinton Baptist Church. In addition to individual food items, they received 63 purchased Food Lion boxes as customers left the store.
