The Carlyle Lions Club might not have been able to host its annual fundraising dinner and auction, but that isn鈥檛 going to keep it from making donations to projects in the area this year.
In a post on its Facebook page Tuesday night, the club said it will donate $15,000 to deserving organizations in the area.
The money that they will distribute comes from the 200 club raffles that they hold monthly.
鈥淎ny organization can apply for it, as long as they don鈥檛 use it for wages. They have to do a capital project or replace equipment of some sort, but anybody can apply for it,鈥� said Carlyle Lions Club member Wayne Wilson.
Applicants are asked to provide as much information as possible.
Organizations from Manor, Arcola and other communities have applied to receive funds from the Carlyle Lions in the past, and Wilson encouraged them to apply this time.
鈥淲e certainly look at all applications,鈥� said Wilson.
A group of Lions will determine who receives the money.聽
The dinner and auction typically generates about $30,000-$35,000 per year, allowing them to support at least 20 organizations. The Carlyle Fire Department, the Rusty Relics Museum, the Carlyle Public Library and the Moose Mountain Gymnastics Clubs are among the organizations that have benefitted in the past from the Lions鈥� efforts.
The Lions have also supported the Carlyle Elementary School and the Gordon F. Kells High School in the past.
鈥淲e look at 鈥� what they need,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淲e look at what they put on their application, what they鈥檙e going to use it for.鈥�
It was difficult for the Lions to not have the dinner and auction this year, because it鈥檚 a popular attraction in the community, but they are glad that they will be able to do something to benefit the lives of people in the area.
鈥淚 think this is a good way to do it. We鈥檙e trying to come up with different ideas, and we don鈥檛 want to interrupt with other people doing their fundraising, too, and having the same thing going at the same time.鈥�
Email requests for funding to Wilson at [email protected] prior to May 14. He can also be reached at 1-306-577-8540.
Organizations that have received grants in the past should reach out to Wilson in the next couple of days if he hasn鈥檛鈥� talked to them as of yet.
The recipients will be announced at the club鈥檚 next meeting in May.聽
