St. Marys Lions Club calls on the community to give warmth this Christmas
- Alex Hunt
- Nov 19
- 2 min read
By Alex Hunt
The St. Marys Lions Club is asking locals to donate winter wear for those in need to help spread warmth during the holidays.
An annual initiative since 2007 started by Lions Georgina McGregor and Evelyn Albers, The St. Marys Lions Club is collecting winter hats, mitts, coats and boots for adults and kids.
People who wish to donate can place items in a donation bin in the reception area of the town’s banks: TD Canada Trust, BMO Bank of Montreal, Scotiabank and RBC Royal Bank, as well as GC Boyle Law Firm.
Donations will be collected by Lions members and transported to Cascade Cleaners to be cleaned by Marlene Forman. From there, donations will be displayed at MacPherson’s Crafts storefront at 83 Queen St. W. Anyone is welcome to take what they need.
Lions Club member Dawn Reynen said the BMO donation bin has been overflowing with clothing and she is grateful for the support so far. If someone plans on donating an item, it should be in good condition, she explained.
“If it’s stained or ripped, then it should not be donated,” said Reynen. “We have had people in the community donate brand-new coats that they have purchased, which is heartwarming; it’s all anonymous and we have no idea who’s giving us these coats. They just drop them off at the bank.”
Donations will be accepted until the end of the month, and the storefront will close on Dec. 13.
The storefront donation display will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Reynen said there will be nobody watching, removing any stigma or pressure from those who need to take a coat.
“The Lions Club wants to give back and serve the community, in collaboration with the business owners, whom we give a big shout out to,” said Reynen. “The club is very grateful for the generosity of the business owners and residents in town, who collaborate with us for our community projects. We truly are ‘Stronger Together.’ ”
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