To the Editor:

The motto of the Lions is “We Serve.” Long recognized for our focus on vision issues, we are concerned with the welfare of our community and growth and development of its youth.

Most recently, we have been concerned with raising funds to provide heating assistance to help our neighbors keep warm this winter. To that end, we have just finished conducting a raffle. In contributions and ticket sales, slightly less than $2,500 was collected. Every cent raised will be shared by Helping Hands and the Potsdam Neighborhood Center.

But the effort to raise these funds required the cooperation and generosity of many friends. Raffle prizes were provided by some local artisans who donated two lovely handmade wool Afghans and two handmade baskets, four local business that donated products and merchandise and ten restaurants and retail stores that donated gift certificates.

Several retail outlets allowed us to sell tickets outside their stores and in some cases, as the days cooled down, inside their stores. Finally, there are all the members of our community who supported our effort by buying raffle tickets or donating funds. The Potsdam Lions Club is delighted by our community’s support. The success of this effort should make all of us feel a bit warmer.

I’ve been a Lion for more than twenty years. During that time I have been involved in a variety of fund raising efforts. The generosity and concern of the members, large and small, our local business community has been most impressive. It encourages me to shop local.

I wish to acknowledge the support of the those who helped make this effort a success: The 1844 House, Eben’s Hearth, Evan’s and White Ace, Jake’s on the Water, Kinney’s Drugs, Lowe’s, Potsdam Food Coop, Potsdam IGA, Sears, Stewarts, ½ Ton’s Bar & Grill, The Village Diner. Thank you ever so much.

Gene Kaczk

Potsdam Lions Club