The Preeceville and District Lioness Club is a not-for-profit group that does various fundraisers to provide funding for different projects in the local area and health district.
The club was chartered in 1988, said Heather Gawrelitza, treasurer for the Lioness Club. "The club is a group of women who meets the first Tuesday of every month from September to June to enjoy some fellowship and make a difference in our local community.
"We are always looking for new members and new ideas and anyone of our members can be contacted for more information,” she said. The current executive committee includes Lori Wolowski, president; Maureen Johnson, secretary, and Gawrelitza.
Over the past year the club has held a turkey bingo, a soup-and-sandwich sale with bake sale, a Grey Cup pool and a Western Weekend bingo to help raise funds.
The club’s donations over the past year went towards a Preeceville Palliative Care air mattress, a board for Preeceville Arena, the Canadian Legion, Royal University Hospital social workers’ emergency fund and emergency care, Mushers Rendezvous, Lions Eye Bank, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, Preeceville Grade 12 most-improved student award and the Preeceville School yearbook, she said.
"The club hosted its annual turkey bingo fundraiser this year and did a basket raffle with all the proceeds being donated to the Heskin family of Preeceville to help with their daughter Chelsa’s specialized care,” Gawrelitza said. “Chelsa was diagnosed with dopattic generalized myoclonic astatic epilepsy.”
Lionesses Gawrelitza and Lori Wolowski stopped by to visit Chelsa and her mother Brandi Heskin and presented them with a cheque for $1,550 along with a special teddy bear and blanket on January 12.
Gawrelitza says it was so nice to see Chelsa come walking to the door and she looked full of energy as she played with her teddy bear and blanket.
