Lions Club spaghetti dinner raises money for Haiti
Dishing up dinner and smiles — Smithfield Lions Club members Keith Hansen, Tom Arquette and Kenneth Hansen preparing and serving spaghetti dinner. (Dave South)
The Lions Club spaghetti dinner took on a dual-purpose Thursday night. Beyond collecting prescription glasses for redistribution to developing countries. The Lions Club is also going to donate all of the night’s proceeds to help reconstruct Haiti. “We had 247 people show up for the spaghetti dinner,” said media representative, Tyler Holst. “We also had about 150 other individuals that paid for tickets, but didn’t show up. This happens each year. Some are just willing to donate to the cause without the [dinner].”
The Lions Club and Smithfield City Youth Council members donated their time to put on the dinner Thursday night. The cost of the spaghetti, bread, sauce, and salad are deducted from the donations. The rest, every penny according to Holst, is donated to Haiti. Last year they grossed over $3,000 and netted $2,350 after paying for the food.
This is the third year for the Lions Club spaghetti dinner. They used to hold a pancake breakfast, but have found the dinner to be more successful. “We used to get only about a 100 people to the pancake breakfast,” said Keith Hansen as he handed out dinner plates of spaghetti. “The dinners are a lot better.”
Keith was busy all evening handing plates to young and old as they filed in from the foggy cold night. Tom Arquette manned the stove, preparing the food while Kenneth Hansen would dish up the plates and hand them to Keith. The kitchen was hot, but everyone was clearly having a good time.
In the back, two young men were working hard to break up all the garlic bread so it could be served out front. They were part of the Smithfield City Youth Council who had come to help the Lions Club. “The Lions Club helped with the big senior ball in November,” said Loreita Dewey, an advisor to the Youth Council. “The Lions cooked dinner for the seniors.”
Dewey said they were happy to help out the Lions who have given so much to the community.
With the tremendous need of Haiti requiring the attention of the night, it is important to remember the other purpose of the Lions Club benefit — prescription glasses. “It’s amazing what little things can do like an old pair of glasses that can really help save somebody’s sight,” said Holst.
He explained that the national Lions Club encourages all local clubs to put on these benefits to gather used prescription glasses — glasses that would normally be thrown away — to be reused in developing countries. The glasses are sent to a processing center where the lenses are measured and categorized. Then a team of doctors and helpers take boxes and boxes down to South America.
There the eye doctors give exams and determine the needs of the children and adults. People who are too poor to buy glasses on their own are then given a pair of glasses that nearly match their needs. “They are able to come real close, although it’s not a precise prescription,” added Holst.
It is enough to restore clear sight to people living their life with blurry vision.
The Lions Club needs more than just regular glasses. Sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, reading glasses are all welcome contributions.
If there is one thing to take away from the night it is to never throw out your old glasses. Contact the Lions Club and donate them. Some businesses set out boxes for receiving old glasses, donate them there. Just don’t throw them away.