by: Andrew Hopkins
The Lions Club of Kirkland Lake continues to make a meaningful impact in the community.
“The Lions Club motto is ‘WE SERVE.’ With this philosophy, we strive to give back in meaningful ways,” said Lion Shanea Smith, Compassionate Meal Service Coordinator.
Recently, the club introduced a Compassionate Meal Service, offering meals to those in need.
Smith explained that the take-home meal service is available on the third Saturday of every month, designed to help those in the community who are most in need and assist individuals in making it through to the end of the month.
Since its launch, the service has expanded to include meal delivery for seniors who are unable to drive or face mobility challenges.
“Although I haven’t witnessed it firsthand, I know that the positive feedback, smiles, and thank-yous we receive from the people we serve deeply affect our members,” Smith said. “This reassures us that we’re doing something good.”
The service began just over a year ago after the Lions Club reached out to the Salvation Army, who allowed them to use their facility. This partnership helped the Lions Club understand the critical need for support and how they could best contribute.
“This collaboration highlighted the growing number of community members relying on food banks to make ends meet,” Smith said. “In response, we decided to offer a meal service, which would not only assist the Salvation Army but also support the local community by helping offset food bank costs.”
The meals provided are homemade and balanced, with the menu evolving as the service grows.
“As we’re still learning, we’re working to streamline the process for preparing large quantities of food while keeping costs manageable,” Smith added.
Initially, in July 2024, the Lions Club served 40-45 meals per event, but the demand has steadily increased to 60-70 meals each month.
“We encourage individuals to sign up in advance for meals, as this helps us estimate how many meals we need to prepare,” Smith said. “As word spreads, we anticipate even more people will take advantage of the service in the coming months.”
The service is run by a dedicated committee of three members, who organize meal planning, shopping, and budgeting. On the day of the service, six to seven Lions Club members volunteer their time to prepare, package, and distribute the meals.
The response from recipients has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Because this is a take-home service, we only interact briefly with each person, but we often hear that the meals were appreciated, and we receive many thank-yous,” Smith said. “The positive impact extends beyond just providing food—it’s about creating connections within our club and with those we serve.”
The Compassionate Meal Service is funded through a combination of Lions Club contributions, as well as donations and sponsorships from local businesses and individuals.
“Kirkland Lake truly has some of the most generous, kind, and caring people in the North,” Smith remarked. “One of our biggest challenges is the rising cost of food and goods, along with the growing demand for our services.”
Looking ahead, the Lions Club plans to host community fundraisers in April and May to raise funds for the Compassionate Meal Service. Additionally, they are developing new meal service initiatives that will be unveiled in the future.
Keep up the good work. Lions are number one.