Stouffville Lions participate in a number of community activities including a Christmas basket project, collecting toys and food for needy families, selling Christmas trees and organizing a Christmas lights tour for seniors, all of which require many helping hands. In 2008 a group of seven students and a teacher from Stouffville District Secondary School helped unload 400 Christmas trees. Students
also helped out at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Library's annual book sale, which is one of many local projects supported by the Lions Club. The Lions is an international organization, whose members have become, in the words of Helen Keller, “Knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” They raise funds to fight blindness in the third world, while conducting vision screening at local schools each spring. Organizations and events supported by the Stouffville Lions include the Whitchurch-Stouffville Food Bank, Latcham Gallery's student program, Camp Kirk for underprivileged children, Relay For Life, Terry Fox, Markham Fair, TD Bank fundraiser for Sick Kids Hospital. Club members have also undertaken local projects such as the pavilion in Memorial Park, the Main St. gazebo, the skateboard park, an addition to Latcham Hall and the grand piano for Nineteen on the Park. And no Strawberry Festival would be complete without the fabulous beef barbecue hosted by our Lions Club at the start of Whitchurch-Stouffville's biggest party of the year. Helping where needed is our specialty, and assisting local children is our passion. Over the years we have supported numerous children in the community with such things as purchasing braces or equipment to make their lives easier and more
LIONS FOUNDATION OF CANADA DOG GUIDES
Since 1983, the lives of over 1200 men, women and children from the age of 8 to 84, have been enriched by the services of specially trained Dog Guides from Lions Foundation of Canada. These Dog Guide "handlers" from as far east as St John's, Newfoundland , and as far west as Victoria BC., have experienced the enrichment of their lives through newfound freedom and independence with the companionship and assistance of a devoted Dog Guide partner.
