The Christmas Festivities started promptly on December 1 with five Lions, one son, and two grandchildren (almost sounds like that Christmas carol, doesn’t it) decking the hall (and the tree) for the holidays.
The day after this decorating, Lions Dawn, Michelle, Joanne and Sally put up the Lions tree for the Altrusa Festival of Trees. Before that day, we got together on three occasions to make the ornaments. Our theme was Holiday Tree of Warmth: the tree was hung with hats, socks, and scarfs for garlands … and decorated with paper mugs filled with cocoa, cider, cinnamon, and candy canes, and home-made ornaments of stockings, sweaters, and mittens. At the bottom was a hand knotted blanket. The tree will be donated to a local family after the festival.
And traditions continue … On Friday, December 6 the Moultonborough Lions hosted Cookies and Caroling for the senior citizens from the various communities we serve (Community Caregiver neighbors and nursing home residents. Moultonborough Academy choral director, Harmony Markey, and her Select Chorus sang both traditional and different Christmas songs and their presence was much appreciated. There were door prizes, and Name-That-Tune prizes, sing-a-longs, and more than enough cookies, drinks, and cheer.
Also on December 4, Mark and Sarah went to two schools to do vision screening — Russell Elementary School in Rumney and Wentworth Elementary. On December 6, Mark and Stephanie did a vision screening at Holderness Elementary School. The very next day, Stephanie, Mark, and Peter spent four hours at the Moultonborough Central School Holiday Fair doing free vision screening for the community. All totaled, the Lions screened 300 children and 10 adults over three days.
Also on December 7 at the Holiday Fair we had our last raffle sales on the year. It was cold — with temperatures in the low 20’s –but our intrepid lion and four other warmly dressed Lions braved that weather to sell. And at one o’clock an elementary student volunteered to pick the winning ticket. The winner of the $5,000 prize is local this year.
The winners of the $5000 prize were Helen and Bob Watkinson. They attended our dinner meeting and received their check from President Peter Allen and Past President John Menken.
To round out the holiday month we donated $500 to each of the towns we service: Moultonborough, Center Harbor, Sandwich, and Tuftonboro to be used where it is most needed be that for food, fuel, clothing, or toys.
AND Lions Dawn and Joanne rung the Salvation Army bell and collected money for the kettle, wearing Santa hats and I-am-a-Lion-Bell-Ringer aprons at the Plymouth Walmart .
Happy Holidays to all and wishes for a healthy New Year 2020.