The Portage la Prairie Lions Club collected essential donations for the local Salvation Army Food Bank during a Sunday food drive at the Portage Homestead Co Op.
Club President Robert Martin oversaw the four-hour effort from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM yesterday, where community members dropped off non-perishables and cash donations.
Regular support for essential services
The Lions Club has organized these drives every few months since launching them in 2020 to address pandemic-era food insecurity.
Martin confirms the club's ongoing commitment, stating, "It’s a recurring thing we do every couple months or so just to help with the Food Bank," he says.
Yesterday’s contributions added to the club’s longstanding impact, which has supported numerous local families over its span.
Community generosity fuels effort
Martin highlighted residents’ consistent generosity as key to the drive’s success.
"I think a lot of people are very generous," he says, recognizing the importance of that generosity, "We have a lot of very, very generous people here, and they donate quite a bit of food or if they can’t, they they’ll donate some cash, which [The Salvation Army] can use to buy meat or whatever other products they need."
Monetary donations allow the Salvation Army to purchase perishable items and fill specific gaps.
Urgent call for new members to sustain legacy
While celebrating the drive’s results, Martin emphasized the club’s critical need for volunteers to sustain its 86-year legacy.
"Portage la Prairie Lions Club is still going, but we still need more membership," he states. "It’s great to sit here and do these things, but we need members to help spread that, so we can do more projects and more fundraising for our Community."
Beyond food drives, the club collects used eyeglasses and hearing aids for global redistribution through Calgary-based facilities.
Martin warned that without new members, these services risk discontinuation.
The Lions Club invites interested community members to learn more about joining.
Regular meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at Taste of Spice, 61 Saskatchewan Ave. E.
Everyone is welcome to attend. The club also welcomes inquiries via their social media channels.