Corbin Lions Club use gift cards in place of food baskets

The Corbin Lions Club mailed $50 gift cards to 254 individuals and families after COVID-19 disrupted the clubs annual food basket giveaway.

“Due to concerns related to COVID-19, the club did not prepare food baskets this year,” said Mike Pawula, President of the Corbin Lions Club, in a press release. “As an alternate means to help during the Christmas season, the club mailed a $50 gift card to those 254 individuals and families in the greater Corbin community that were approved.”

The club has been serving the community through food baskets for 72 years.

“The club reports that many dedicated volunteers contacted the club offering assistance in preparing and delivering baskets, but members could not overlook the danger of spreading COVID-19 into vulnerable populations,” said Pawula.

“Many years ago, members of the club started a “rainy-day fund” to continue the Christmas basket project if we could not reach our annual goal,” said Pawula. “The club voted to use this fund instead of conducting a new fund-raising campaign, allowing our faithful supporters to help Corbin, its residents, and employees in other ways.”

In the press release, Pawula said that the club recognized that many contributors are struggling due to unemployment or reduced work hours and businesses are struggling to operate. It is for those reasons that the club decided to use its “rainy-day fund.”