Service club asks for help with second phase of hall repairs

Catherine Reynolds | Dec 20, 2017

A service club in Frontenac County is asking for the gift of hope this Christmas.

“Storrington Lions Club has been working hard to revitalize its community hall in Sunbury,” says John Beskers, President of Storrington Lions Club. “Working with very little money, we have accomplished a great deal and have now started the second phase of repairs to the hall. We are asking residents to share the gift of hope this holiday season by making a donation to the Lions Club to save the Storrington Lions Hall.”

Operated by a small group of volunteers, the hall is a central meeting place for dozens of community groups. It is a polling station, blood donor clinic and gathering place for residents to celebrate engagements, marriages and birthdays.

“We’re here as a service,” Beskers explains softly about the club and the hall. “We help people by providing an affordable and convenient space to learn, connect and celebrate life.”

Located in the heart of Frontenac County, the hall is a major part of the community. Volunteers have been working to revitalize it for more than a year despite a major setback in August when a $5,000 air conditioning unit was vandalized for a couple hundred dollars’ worth of copper coil.

“The sides were left in place. The robbers basically just cut everything and took the coil,” confirms Beskers who discovered the broken equipment while hosting a youth dance. “It was a major setback for the club, but we persevered.”

According to Beskers, volunteers have spent the last year upgrading the bathrooms, infrastructure and exterior.

The club estimates it could use another $50,000 to complete all of the renovations and upgrades needed for its sustainability.

“We have also been busy with our paint brushes inside the hall and have now moved into phase two which is an urgent upgrade of our bar area and kitchen,” he explains. “Most people have enough socks and ties. Please give the gift of hope this holiday season by donating to Storrington Lions Hall. What better way to achieve peace, love and joy than investing in our community.”

To help Storrington Lions Club save its community hall, donations are gratefully accepted through the mail at 2992 Princess Road; Inverary ON K0H 1X0 or on the club’s electronic fundraising page Go Fund Me at https://www.gofundme.com/dzyxmr7y