The lakecity Lions and Lioness clubs will be donating all of the money they raise this Sunday at their annual Mother’s Day Market and Pancake Breakfast to assist victims of the recent earthquake in Japan.
“One hundred per cent of the money donated goes to help the Japanese in their time of need as the funds are administered through the Lions Clubs International Foundation,” says Lion Al Garlinge.
The annual Mother’s Day market and pancake breakfast will be held in the Save on Foods parking lot this Sunday, May 8.
Breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m. until noon. As it is Mother’s Day, mothers can enjoy a free breakfast, Garlinge says.
For other adults, the breakfast is $5 and $3 for children 10 years of age and under. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“This is a true market with everything from garage sale items to crafts, plants, jewelry and commercial items,” Garlinge says.
“Come enjoy your breakfast and wander through the market to find your treasures.”
The market and pancake breakfast is one of many fundraisers the Lions and Lioness members hold throughout the year.
They raise funds by renting spaces and tables to vendors, providing the breakfast at a nominal fee and raffling off flower baskets donated by Save on Foods.
The Stampede royalty candidates will be there selling the raffle tickets and breakfast tickets.
In other years, Garlinge says funds raised at the annual market and breakfast have been spent on local projects but given the enormity of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan, he says the club decided to send the money to Japan this year.
The Lions Club International Foundation is set up to help people throughout the world who suffer a disaster of some sort such as the flooding in New Orleans, the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Sumatra.
The fund is administered by Lions volunteers in the country of need. To date, Garlinge says the international foundation has donated more than $5 million to assist the Japanese in their time of disaster.
“Through LCIF the local Lions Clubs in Japan are also providing food, clothing, water and shelter to those who have lost everything,” Garlinge says. “So come out, enjoy a great breakfast, stroll through the market and know that your support is helping those in need far away in Japan.”