Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
The New Rockford Lions Club has been hard at work recently, and they have a couple big projects coming up for the benefit of their community.
This year, the New Rockford Lions Club is operating "Coats for Cubs," a great opportunity for young boys and girls to get the winter gear they need as Jack Frost patiently awaits colder temperatures – and he won't be waiting much longer.
The program is open to all pre-K through 5th grade in the New Rockford-Sheyenne School District, and parents interested need only to fill out a quick form with information such as the age of the child, their gender, their coat size and color preference.
If enough funding is available, kids could also receive a hat and a pair of warm gloves.
The deadline is Saturday, Sept. 23, so be sure to find a form before it's too late. Forms are available on the city of New Rockford's website, the New Rockford app, and are included with posters around town.
Forms can be turned into Eddy County Public Health, Bakers Dozen, or to Jodi Hirchert or Kristi Swenson.
The Coats for Cubs program is just the latest in a number of ways New Rockford's local Lions Club benefits their community.
On Thursday, Sept. 7, the Lions Club continued their long tradition of supporting eye health in their community.
Kristi Swenson, the secretary of the local Lions Club, said she – with help from Eddy County Public Health – screened 239 kids in grades pre-K-8 to find out who might benefit from corrective lenses, and Swenson said 26 were referred to a local eyecare physician.
According to Swenson, the Lions Club has historically supported those who need vision services – ever since Helen Keller asked the Lions Club in 1923 to be the “Knights of the Blind.”
To that end, the Lions Club here in New Rockford has several eyeglass and hearing aid collection boxes around town, including at Miller’s Fresh Foods, Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd, Bakers Dozen, First Lutheran Church and St. Johns Church.
Swenson said that many of the eyeglasses collected in those boxes get sorted and end up on the Haiti Eye Mission, where eyecare physicians offer screenings and provide glasses to those who need them most.
Looking ahead, meanwhile, the Lions Club is excited about the 2023 Peace Poster competition for the sixth graders.
This year’s theme is “Dare to Dream,” and the first round of judging is due to take place on Oct. 9.
The winners from New Rockford-Sheyenne will be judged at the state level on Oct. 21, and those winners will have a chance at getting their posters featured in the MD5 Peace Poster Calendar, which includes posters from North Dakota, South Dakota and Saskatchewan.
Last but certainly not least, the Lions Club is again excited to put on the annual Trunk or Treat this Halloween.
This year’s Trunk or Treat will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Centennial Park in downtown New Rockford.
The Lions Club has certainly been busy recently, and will be for some time.
Anyone looking to help out or who has interest in becoming a Lion is encouraged to drop by one of the Lions Club’s monthly meetings. Swenson said they meet on the fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. in Bakers Dozen.
