Category: Schumacher Lions

Just two days after delivering $150 food vouchers to more than 500 local families, members of the Schumacher Lions Club continued to do their part to fight hunger.

A fledgling organization called FEED Canada delivered food packages to three Northern towns, including Timmins, on Dec. 23.

Led by truck driver Daniel Speigleman, 25 families received six boxes of non-perishables, one box of fresh fruit and veggies, a turkey, a ham and a bag of bread. There were another 26 boxes of fresh produce given to other families. All families involved have four or more children.

Speigleman heard of the club’s success over the years delivering food vouchers to families in need at Christmas. He asked the Lions to deliver the food packages to needy families on behalf of his group, FEED Canada.

With a generous donation of use of their loading dock by Gardewine Transport, about 25 club members gathered to load up their vehicles for the delivery. Despite heavy snowfall that day, the Lions and their helpers made deliveries to more than 50 families.

It was a great way to spread the Christmas spirit in the community.

New records were set this for the Stan Fowler Christmas Fund. But they’re records volunteers
with the Schumacher Lions Club wished weren’t broken.
Chair Lion J. McCauley provided an update on this year’s fund. To date, $105,825.26 was raised.
We delivered 511 vouchers, each valued at $150. He has been involved in the program for
almost 20 years, he said this was the most people he came out to volunteer for distributing
vouchers. About 40 people, including Lions friends and family, took part. Not only did we have
the most money raised, but we had more help. He thanked everyone for stepping up to help
this Christmas.
The totals were the high because there are more families than ever needing help.
“If we didn’t have to give out a single voucher, I’d be the happiest guy in the world,” he said.
“Because then you know people are being taken care of and they don’t require this.
“Unfortunately, we’re living in a society where it’s just not feasible and the struggle is real. It’s
not just a few. It’s becoming more and more every year.”
He was proud of the support shown from club members.
“I was blown away with the amount of people. I shouldn’t be blown away because I belong to
an incredible club with very giving people,” McCauley explained. “We had more than 30 people
giving out vouchers today. We haven’t seen numbers like that in a very long time.”
Local agencies help with the vetting of requests to make sure those in need get assistance.
Vouchers can’t be used to purchase tobacco or alcohol. No change is provided, so groceries
have to be bought in one visit. Every grocery store in Timmins — except Walmart, which opted
out of the program a few years ago — honours the vouchers, which must be presented with
identification.
As long as there is a need in the community, volunteers will do their best to live up to the club
motto of We Serve.
“We’ll do our part as long as we’re all kicking to try and make life a little easier on people,”
McCauley said. “Especially at Christmas and especially with children.”

Every year, the Schumacher Lions Club ushers in the holiday season for Timmins and area residents. The club held its annual Christmas Craft and Gift Show from Nov. 8-10 at the McIntyre Arena.

Local residents flock to the show to see a wide variety of vendors displaying Christmas decor and gift ideas. It only costs $5 for adults to enter, with kids coming in free. This year there was about 3,750 paid entries.

There are lots of children’s activities, including an opportunity to visit Santa and have a picture taken with the jolly old elf.

Event Chair Lions Gabrielle Nault and Carrie Backer were pleased with this year’s event, which raised more than $32,000 for the club.

“We had more than 70 vendors this year, in the arena area, as well as the auditorium upstairs,” Backer said.

Nault thanked all the volunteers who helped make the three-day event a success, when delivering the final report to the club.

This is a signature event for the Schumacher Lions, with many friends and family members volunteering with Lions to make the show a success.

Schumacher Lions had a tasty fundraiser to help feed local families at Christmas.

The club participated in the Timmins Hortons Holiday Smile Cookies Campaign for the second straight year.

Every year, the Tim Hortons chain of coffee shops makes and sells holiday smile cookies for a week. A portion of the sale of these cookies go to a local charity. Once again, the Timmins locations of Tim Hortons selected the Stan Fowler Christmas Fund, which is managed by the Schumacher Lions Club.

Funds raised for the Fund are used to purchase food vouchers to help local families in need with children buy food at Christmas. Last year, more than 500 food vouchers were distributed, each with a $150 value.

Every grocery store in Timmins participates, except for Walmart (which opted out a few years back). Vouchers must be used to purchase groceries (no tobacco or alcohol). No change is given, so a participant can spend a few dollars and cash out the rest. Participants must show photo idea when spending their voucher.

Stan Fowler was a firefighter in Timmins. He started the fund in 1947 to help young families with children. As the years went on, it grew and grew. So, he went to the local Lions Clubs. At one time there were three Lions Clubs in the Porcupine Camp. They all pitched in at Christmas.

For the last 20 years or so, the Schumacher Lions have taken on the responsibility of the Stan Fowler Christmas Fund.

For the cookie campaign, Lions paired up to work three-hour shifts baking, decorating and packaging the cookies. These specialty Holiday Smile Cookies are decorated to have two eyes and a smile put on with icing.

Two shifts of two Lions (or a Lion and a guest) each worked at two different Timmins Hortons storefronts every day for a week.

A couple weeks later, Tim Hortons presented the club with a cheque for $10,021.26.

All the Lions reported having a blast baking and decorating the cookies. Staff were very helpful in training the Lions to make the cookies.

It was the perfect way for Schumacher Lions Club members to start the holiday season.

The Schumacher Lions Club participated in Remembrance Day ceremonies at two locations in the community, the South Porcupine branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and at the Timmins Cenotaph.

The Club purchased wreaths for ceremonies conducted by both the South Porcupine and Timmins branches of the Royal Canadian Legion.

President Jim Nault attended the South Porcupine ceremony and placed a wreath on behalf of the club at the memorial. Treasurer John McCauley attended the Timmins ceremony and placed a wreath on behalf of the club at the Cenotaph.

Despite being a cold, windy day with snow flurries, good crowds attended both events.

The Schumacher Lions Club hosted a 12-week Summer Concert Series in the summer of 2024. The event featured a two-hour concert every Tuesday night (Wednesday night for rain days) from June 11 to Aug. 20 in the Schumacher Lions Park.

It is free admission to the weekly concerts, although donations for the park upkeep are collected.

The concerts are presented in conjunction with the Schumacher Arts Culture Heritage Association (SACHA), DJ Taz, and PJ Production.

The bands featured are all local and are paid for the participation. It serves as a great showcase for local talent and provides free entertainment for residents and visitors. It is estimated that a minimum of 300 enjoyed the free concerts every week in the summer.

Volunteers with the Lions Club help set up for the concerts, sell food, barbecue and refreshments, and help tear down afterwards every week.

Chair Lion Mark West reported the totals for this year’s concert series at the Oct. 9 meeting of the club. After expenses, with donations from local businesses about $7,200 was collected. The funds will be set aside to help fund next year’s summer concert series.