The Hilltown Lions Club presented a check for $1,000 to the Hilltown Community Ambulance Assoc. Pictured from left, Barre Lucas and Jade Rice of the HCAA, Linda Lastowski, secretary of the Lion’s Club, Jonathan Pasternak, HCAA; John Bergeron, president, Bonnie Boguszewski, Laurie Martell, George Peterson and Karen McTaggart of the Lions Club and Bailey Jones, HCAA Director.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter
HUNTINGTON — On Dec. 5, Hilltown Lions Club volunteer members gathered at the garage headquarters on 1 Bromley Road in Huntington to present the Hilltown Community Ambulance Association with a check for $1,000 from its fundraising efforts.
“We raise money for charities, and part of our donations are for the ambulance service,” said Hilltown Lions Club President John Bergeron.
The HCAA is raising money to purchase a FEMA trailer to park on the property that will be equipped with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a washer and dryer for emergency response personnel on duty.
Jade Rice of the HCAA said that they have raised $31,000 of the $52,000 needed to purchase the trailer, and the gift from the Lions Club will go towards the total.
HCAA Director Bailey Jones said their fundraising goal is $55,000. “Our ultimate goal is to get people out of here,” Jones said, referring to the cramped quarters and lack of facilities in the ambulance garage headquarters, to which the trailer will provide long-needed relief.
The donation to HCAA is only one of many activities that the newly revived Lions Club is involved in over the holiday season. Bergeron said at Thanksgiving, they distributed turkeys and gift cards through The Village Closet to families in need, and gave $500 to the Huntington Food Pantry.
In the spring, the Lions Club will be planting flower gardens, and on Dec. 6, they built three Christmas trees with lights on the Huntington town commons — one in the Gazebo, and two by the ramp entrance to Town Hall and Stanton Hall.
On Dec. 6, they were also going to meet with the Crippled Old Busted Bikers of River Valley, who had called to say that the Hilltown Lions Club was chosen as the recipient of their latest benefit held at the East Mountain Country Club.
Before that meeting, Bergeron did not know how much the donation would be, but was very happy to find out that the donation to the Hilltown Lions Club was for $7,209.
“One hundred percent of the money will go to support our neighbors and our projects in the hilltowns, and to the Lions Club International Eye Research fund,” said Lions Club member Karen McTaggart, who thanked COBB, adding, “This will have a huge impact in our community.”
The Hilltown Lions Club normally meets every fourth Thursday at Stanton Hall, 22 Russell St. in Huntington.
Bergeron said they are always looking for new members. People interested in finding out more about the Lions Club may call him at 413 667-5738, email hilltownlionsclub@gmail.com, or follow the club’s activities on Facebook at Hilltown Lions Club of Massachusetts.
