Celebrating its 100th anniversary year, Aurora Noon Lions Club will hold its annual Candy Day fundraiser Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15.
Susan Koepke, Noon Lions president, said volunteers will don bright yellow aprons and stand outside Prisco’s Family Market, 1108 Prairie Street in Aurora, to accept donations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
Koepke said, “Lions will politely offer Tootsie pops to people passing by.
“We hope people will ask us about Lions, but most of all we hope they put a donation in our container,” Koepke said.
She said that 60% of donations collected will go to Sycamore-based Lions of Illinois Foundation for visually and hearing-impaired programs and support the Foundation gives Illinois Lions Clubs.
A mobile vision and hearing screening van is among services provided by the Foundation.
Local clubs retain 40 percent of donations for community-service programs.
• Candy Day history:
Founded in 1952, Candy Day is the premiere fundraiser for 14 services and programs provided to the hearing- and visually-impaired by Lions of Illinois Foundation (LIF).
This one or two-day event raises over 50 percent of total operating funds for LIF.
Generous donations allow LIF and the Illinois Lions Clubs to serve more than 18,000 men, women and children each year.
Currently more than 15 states and Australia also conduct Candy Day fundraisers.
• Aurora Noon Lions Club:
Founded in 1922, Aurora Noon Lions Club meets on the first and third Thursdays at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 27 S. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora.
Men and women interested in community service are invited.
Call (630) 921-1307 or visit auroranoonlions.org for more information.
With the motto “We Serve,” Lions volunteers focus on supporting causes including hearing and vision impairment, hunger, the environment, diabetes and childhood cancer.
Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world. Approximately 1.42 million members in more than 48,000 Clubs serve in over 200 countries and geographic areas worldwide.
Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects and extended service impact through the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
For more information on Lions Clubs International, visit lionsclubs.org.
—Al Benson