Volunteer Spotlight: Lord Baltimore Lions Club
January 28, 2019
For the past three years, five or six members of the Lord Baltimore Lions Club arrive at the Food Bank of Delaware to volunteer for four hours on the last Friday of the month. They create weekend backpacks, sort donated food, or whatever is needed . . . because that’s what they do. They enjoy helping people, and speaking for the people we help, we appreciate their reliable commitment.
John Monahan coordinates the club’s volunteers. On a recent Friday, regulars Paul Bolton, Joanne Withers, Jack Bauer, and Pat Monahan joined him for the volunteer shift.
The Lord Baltimore Lions Club meets in Ocean View, and serves six communities in the coastal area: Millville, Clarksville, Bethany Beach, Frankford and Dagsboro, in addition to Ocean View.
While Lions Club International’s motto is “We Serve,” Mr. Monohan said the Lord Baltimore club has extended that motto to include fellowship and fun, in addition to service. The club also provides opportunities for members to pursue their passions, since most causes follow under the umbrella of one of the areas of service: community, environment, diabetes, and youth.
In addition to helping at the Food Bank of Delaware, the Lord Baltimore Lions Club has designated committees to assist people with utility bills, to loan medical equipment, and support addiction recovery programs.
Most recently, the club donated store gift cards during the federal government shutdown to Coast Guard members serving at a nearby station. “We were happy to do that,” said Mr. Bauer. “We like to do community service, to help others. We look for projects, not just fund raising.”
Helping at the Food Bank is just one area of service for Ms. Withers and Ms. Monahan. They head up another Lions-supported project, A Parties, at two local elementary schools. The parties offer some academic incentive because celebrate and reward students’ success in the classroom.
Mr. Bolton, who retired after a career in law enforcement, enjoys the hands-on, direct contact with young people and also volunteers as a mentor in Selbyville Middle School. He organized a public forum to create more awareness about drug addiction, and then coordinated a campaign among other Lions Clubs to raise funding for an Attack Addiction home in Bridgeville.
“We are very generous,” said Mr. Bolton. “We’re shifting our focus to make a difference.”
The Food Bank of Delaware is very appreciative of its committed volunteers; we like to say volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. Last year, we had 15,601 volunteer visits for a total of 40,162 hours. That’s the equivalent of 19 full-time employees.
Visit www.fbd.volunteerhub.com to register for a volunteer shift at either our Milford or Newark location.
