Page 19 - Enews June 2020 Edition

P a g e 1 9 K i n g s a n d Q u e e n s

Seen and Heard

Around The District

Touching Lives and Delivering Hope

GIVING BACK NEWS Restaurant, Bakewell’s, Hacks Hallal Res-
(Summary) taurant and the Elevate Lounge.
RICHMOND HILL / SOUTH To date, we have made 61 trips to health
OZONE PARK LIONS care facilities and military installations and
served 10,950 hot lunches to our frontline
Starting in early Spring 2020, the COVID- heroes. Additionally, RHSOP Lions orga-
nized a food hamper distribution to the
19 virus disrupted the normalcy of life in
New York City, and especially in District 20 community. This attracted very positive
responses as well. On Sunday May 3, near-
-K1. Abruptly, thousands of low-income ly 1,000 community residents, all masked
and already impoverished families lost their and gloved, received a grocery hamper.
jobs and their loved ones. Hospitals and (see photos in gallery) By the end of the
medical professionals were overwhelmed by day, 25,000 lbs. of food items were distrib-
the rapidly increasing number of critically uted in 783 hampers. The generosity by a Door to door delivery
infected patients and the simultaneous awk-
ward anxiety of insufficient PPE. Uncer- coalition of civic and business organiza-
tions prove that “Kindness Matters.”
tainty about the right solution to this devas-
tation gripped our leaders. The Lions’ Motto is “WE SERVE” and
the RHSOP Lions Club thanks Lion Quinn

In the midst of a shutdown of all non- Rawh, owner of Elevate Lounge and Lion
Nick Agola of Sofia’s Pizza who organized
essential businesses and “stay at home”
guidelines to curb further spread of this this distribution. “He ain’t heavy, he’s my
brother!”
unprecedented virus, RHSOP developed a
multi-faceted strategic Action Plan to help All donors and volunteers admitted to be-
our community to cope with the devastating
effects of the pandemic. We addressed our ing humbled by the experience, especially
after receiving positive responses from the
Health Care Heroes / First Responders for recipients. The RHSOP Lions Club was
their life saving service. RHSOP Lions do- represented by Lion President Romeo Hit-
nated personal funds and solicited donations lall, 1stVP Lion Motie Phanisnaraine, Lunch courtesy of RFSOP
from supportive individuals and organiza-
tions to prepare and deliver individually Treasurer Lion Devindra Persaud, Tail
Twister Lion Quinn Rawh, Board members
packed hot lunches to the hospitals, nursing
homes, NYPD Precincts and FDNY fire Lion Johnnie Walker, Lion Hushana Foley
and Lion Nirmala Singh. For several days
houses. (see photos in gallery)
after the event, hundreds of grateful resi-
dents have been contacting the organizers
The first project was conducted on April 10,
at the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. expressing gratitude for the giveaway. Our
City and country may never be the same
RHSOP Lions delivered 250 lunches pre-
pared by, a prominent Queens Restaurant. again, but as Lions and friends fulfilled
their mission of service, we were all re-
Accompanying the team was Ms. Jennifer
Bisram and crew from Channel PIX 11 TV minded of the uncertainty of tomorrow. To
date, RHSOP Lions Club has donated over
News. This simple gesture of caring and
appreciation was well received by the medi- $75,000 of in-kind services to various
cal workers who were gushing with thank- Covid-19 Projects.

fulness. Reported by, Hot Lunches are ready to be serve
RHSOP Lions realized that the service was Lion Romeo Hitlall,
timely, and necessary. The good news that
“Where There’s A Need, There’s a Lion”), President
travelled fast. Our friends and supporters
suggested other medical facilities and vol-
unteered to assist with funding. Although
our Club is based in New York, our service
extended to the Robert Wood Johnson Uni-
versity Hospital, New Brunswick NJ Here,
the frontline staff responded with much
appreciation. The Restaurants that support-
ed our service were the Golden Arrow
Lounge, Hibiscus Restaurant, Kaiteur
Lunch time for Medical Staff