At the January Roanoke Valley Breakfast Lions Club meeting, Lion Cliff DeMars shared highlights of his and Lion Mary Ann DeMars’ visit to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Instead of focusing on Cliff’s annual checkup at the Mayo Clinic this past August, the DeMars sought a way to do what Lions do best – to serve.
After some research they chose the Red Cloud Indian School on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota. The poverty on this reservation is extreme. It is common to find homes over crowded, without running water and power. More than 800 families are served through the Jesuit pastoral ministry in partnership with the Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Upon the recommendation of Lions Cliff and Mary Ann, long time members of the club, RVBLC did not hesitate to adopt this project as one of its Fall 2015 projects. The positive response from RVBLC members spurred the DeMars to invite their Berean Sunday School Class, Blue Eagle Credit Union, family and friends to support the project.
School supplies, baby supplies (clothing, blankets and diapers), hats, gloves, etc. were donated plus over $2,000 in monetary donations which were used to purchase 100 flashlights and extra batteries for each, 50 bath towels, 325 wash cloths, and many other items. Seventy pairs of new children and adult shoes ($2.50 each) were purchased at the Roanoke Rescue Mission Thrift Store. In addition, the Rescue Mission donated 3 large boxes of toiletries and 110 plastic coat hangers.
The goal was to fill one van with supplies. Thanks to the Roanoke Valley Breakfast Lions Club, the Berean Sunday School Class, Blue Eagle Credit Union and the Roanoke Rescue Mission, by the time they were ready to leave, they had two vans filled to capacity!
