Special needs children in the White County area have a friend in the Searcy Lions Club, which has so far raised over $37,000 to furnish and equip the new Sunshine School building. This ongoing fundraising effort began in November 2010 with a Christmas outreach, and is still continuing as the February 1 deadline nears.
The club is applying to Lions Club International for a grant to double these donations. Searcy Lions Club has until February 1 to try to meet the grant limit of $75,000.
According to Lions Club member Cliff Ganus, Jr., “If other organizations can join us in raising that amount, we can apply to have it doubled to $150,000. Lions Club International is interested in helping efforts such as this.”
Club President Alex Behel is shown here accepting a check from Stephen Burks of Harding University. Burks and a colleague at Harding Academic, Brad Francis, organized a series of basketball tournaments that raised $1,713 for the Sunshine School. “The students had fun while helping a worthy cause. We are proud to be a part of this effort,” said Burks.
Other organizations that have contributed to this fund include the Harding Art Department, White County Central School District, and the Harding Student Association.
“Our hope is that those who were planning a donation in 2011 will do so by February 1. Our partnership with the Searcy Lions Club has given us an opportunity we do not want to pass up,” stated Mary Lou Dunn, Director of the Sunshine School.
Donations will be accepted through February 1, and the Searcy Lions Club will publicly recognize all schools, businesses, and other civic organizations that join them in this effort.
Checks should be made out to the “Searcy Lions Club Sunshine School Fund” and sent to P.O. Box 784, Searcy, AR 72145. For more information, call 279-1205.
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UPDATE: The latest total is over $40,000!
