Lions Club packs 9,000 meals for families in need
More than 50 volunteers from five different counties came together on a cold December morning to help struggling families who may need a little help this holiday season.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, Lions Club members from Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion and Lawrence counties met at the Butler Blind Association on Cedar Street to work together to pack 9,000 meals to distribute throughout the areas they serve.
“Each year we try to put together as many of these food packages as we can,” said Jeffrey Loudermilk, a former district governor of Lions Club District 14-N. “We invite all 37 clubs from our district. Whoever decides to come and participate, they get a share of the food to take home with them.”
The packets of food were combined and boxed up at the site. Three different meals were made, including rice and beans, macaroni and cheese, and pasta with tomato-basil sauce. Each packet can serve a family of four.
“Families really enjoy this because they only need water to prepare the meal,” said Jeff Loudermilk. “Just boil some water, put the contents of the packet in and enjoy.”
The Lions Club was formed in 1917, when Chicago business owner Melvin Jones realized the need in his community and others following World War I. He asked acquaintances and colleagues to step up to help, and that is what they did.
Maria Loudermilk, Jeffrey’s wife and immediate past governor from last year, called the volunteers into order at 10 a.m. sharp, and the work began.
Three lines were formed, each packaging a different type of meal.
In the line for the rice and beans, each member had a job, whether it be putting in a scoop of rice, beans or a packet of vitamins, or weighing each packet to make sure the size was correct. At the end of each line the packets were boxed up and set aside for volunteers to take back with them to be distributed at predetermined sites near home.
The lines moved quickly and efficiently, but the volunteers were obviously enjoying themselves. Smiles and conversation went hand in hand with the work, and everyone visited with other Lions Club members.
“We just like to make sure that we put together something for the whole district where we can get together and kind of fellowship while we are doing good things,” Jeffrey Loudermilk said.
Maria Loudermilk beamed as she watched the group quickly fill up boxes.
“The last time we did this we made 6,000 packets and had food banks calling up to see if we had more meals,” she said. “My husband decided this year we would do 9,000.”
The Lions Club motto is “We Serve.” The day’s events showed the members take that very seriously but combine it with a bit of holiday fun.
“We try our hardest to serve as many people that need it as possible,” said Jeffrey Loudermilk.
People interested in the programs offered through the Lions Club, either to volunteer or to get more information on where the packets will be distributed, can reach out to the Lions Club in their area.
