For 50 years, the Galva Lions Club has held the Empty Stocking Project that provides a gift of food and holiday cheer to local residents. Large boxes of food containing such things as canned goods, ham, eggs, fruit, bread, cereal and dairy products are assembled and delivered to over one hundred-forty Galva households. To round out the foodstuffs, a gift card to Hathaway’s grocery store is included in each box.
On Saturday, Dec. 16, the truckloads of boxes will be delivered between 8 am and 10 am. This year, recipients will receive a reminder postcard, making certain they are home when the box is delivered.
Kristy Schmidt, Lions Club secretary, along with the other Club officers spearheads the project. She and the 31-member group began gathering food items in early November. While some things are purchased by the club, others are donated by food banks, churches, individuals and Galva school students. Schmidt said some classrooms have contests to see who can gather the most items, making it fun as well as rewarding.
“It’s a labor of love,” said Schmidt and the club looks forward to the project and works hard to reach out to deserving families, many of them homebound.
It takes 40 to 50 hours to order, sort, load and deliver the boxes. For years, the foodstuffs were processed at the Galva United Methodist Church, and assisted by church members. More recently, River Valley Cooperative has provided space for the members to assemble and store the food boxes.
Schmidt said that River Valley employees help with the muscle needed to load the boxes, as well as financial support. The “Leos”, the junior high Lions Club chapter also assists, making short work of a big project.
The Club is ever grateful for the generosity of those who help with the project.
“We couldn’t do it without their help,” said Schmidt.
The Galva Lion’s Club was created in 1947 and is well known for its annual pancake breakfast, pork chop dinners and ice cream socials. In addition to the Empty Stocking Project, members provide two Galva High School scholarships, and financial assistance with glasses and hearing aids to qualified individuals.
The group meets twice each month at the American Legion building located on Wallace Street. For information on the Lion’s Club activities, or to submit a name for a holiday food box, contact Schmidt at galvalionsclub@gmail.com.
