Lions Club supports 35 nonprofits

One of the Wimberley Lions Club’s favorite things to do is to give away money, so there were many happy members and grant recipients at the first meeting in March. Thirty-five non-profit organizations were awarded monies to assist each with their unique missions in the Wimberley community.

Frank Curtis, a member of the Lions Grants Committee, noted “The awarding of grants to the Wimberley community is a very special night for the Wimberley Lions Club. All of the work through the partnership of the Lions and community volunteers at Market Days is shown through our awarding of nearly $150,000 in 2019 grants.”

Curtis stated, “The diversity of the Lions grants is shown through our awarding funds to 40 different Wimberley projects. The grants include scholarships, youth exchange, Texas Lions Camp for youth with disabilities, Lions Eye Bank, youth activities both in-school and outof-school, and community service grants. Our grants will fund everything from a glockenspiel for the Hill Country Community Band to therapy horses and donkeys and everything in-between.”

One of the many recipients, The Barnabus Connection, hosts the Christmas Store and the Back to School Fiesta, distributing backpacks, school supplies, and haircut vouchers, among other necessities, to local families who are in need of financial assistance. Grant money is used to keep their goodwill operational.

Other grantees include Wimberley Special Olympics, who will be able to purchase athletic equipment and uniforms for the team. Danforth Jr High School will purchase new instruments. Good Samaritan Community Services’ Grant will help support Camp Good Sam’s summer program. Wimberley Valley Radio, KWVH, will purchase speakers for a future outdoor stage to be built next to the studios.

Continuing to highlight the diversity of the Lions’ community support, the grant given to the Ray of Hope Foundation of Wimberley, whose mission is to offer group support for recovering alcoholics, will go toward maintenance of their meeting place. The Wimberley Valley Art League will use grant money to purchase frames for student artists who will show their works at a future art show. The award presented to Friends of the Wimberley Village Library will assist in offsetting the costs of presenters and supplies for two new programs, including the Tweens Curiosity Club. And with help from the Lions, Gold Santa will spread good cheer to area families during this year’s Christmas season.

For information about becoming a Wimberley Lions Club member or Wimberley Market Days volunteer, contact Membership Chair, Lion Tom Campbell, by email, [email protected] or phone, (214) 491-8414.