PROJECTS

The Lions Club of Lower Hutt engages in a variety of “hands-on” community projects, with a strong focus on fundraising, services for the visually impaired, and family entertainment. 

Projects and services

Charitable fundraisers

• Operating attractions at Avalon Park: The club maintains and runs a miniature train and mini-golf course at Avalon Park, with the proceeds going to charity.
• Fundraising dances: The club hosts events, such as dances, to raise money for other charitable causes. Recent beneficiaries include the Life Flight Trust.
• Annual appeal collections: Members provide physical assistance to other organizations by helping with their annual fundraising drives.
• Food drives: In partnership with other local groups like the Rotary Club of Hutt City, the Lions Club helps collect food donations from the community. 

Vision services

• Recycling eyeglasses: The club collects used prescription glasses at various locations in the Hutt Valley, including OPSM, Visique, and Black Gates. The glasses are then sent to the Pacific Islands to be distributed to people in need.
• Transporting the blind: Volunteers provide transport for local blind residents so they can attend their monthly social gatherings.
• International support: The club supports the Lions International SightFirst Program, which works globally to eradicate blindness. 

Other community services

• Assisting other charities: In addition to raising funds, members provide physical assistance for various local charitable projects.
• Youth programs: The club participates in international Lions initiatives that support youth development, including the Peace Poster Contest.
• Disaster relief: When disasters strike, Lions clubs internationally and locally assist with immediate needs like food and water, as well as long-term reconstruction.