By Oliver Lees
The Gisborne and District Lions Club is helping get children back on their feet.
The community organisation is raising funds for children who cannot walk without assistance by collecting donated postage stamps and auctioning them off to the highest bidder.
In collaboration with the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation (ALCMF), the national initiative puts all proceeds towards purchasing paediatric walking equipment.
Gisborne and Districts Lion Club president Russell Walkers says the club had already received “bags and bags” of stamps and encouraged locals to keep giving.
“It’s been a fantastic response from the community, we’ve had people actually donating their stamp collections,” he said.
“We’ve been really surprised, hopefully we can keep it up.”
ALCMF works directly with children to get them out of wheelchairs and onto their feet so that they are able to walk, explore, play and socialise.
According to their website ALCMF has fitted more than two thousand children with walkers over the years,
Mr Walker, who has been president of the club for six years, says this is just one of several charitable drives his organisation takes part in.
The club also collects reading glasses as part of their Gift of Sight program. These spectacles are collected and sent to less fortunate people abroad.
Forward your used postage stamps to: Secretary, Gisborne and District Lions Club, PO Box 807, Gisborne 3437 or drop them off to the Lions collection point at Hardy’s UFS Pharmacy Brantome St Gisborne.
