(from l. to r.) Peter Wolyniec, Frank Rapuano, Jackie Abaramaitis, Rosie Molina, Joseph B. Papavero, Marilyn McAndrews, Alice Bouchard, Ed Bivona, Cynthia Saleh and Dr. Robert Marchese visit Midway Nursing Home for Christmas.

This winter, especially during the Holiday Season, the Maspeth Lions Club has certainly been in the Holiday spirit of giving.  During the holidays, the Maspeth Lions are especially busy with their charitable events and projects.  On Saturday, December 7^th, the Lions held their annual Children’s Christmas party for underprivileged children at St. Stanislaus Parish Hall.  The party catered to over 100 children from St. Mary’s, who enjoyed a full day complete with lunch, snacks, cotton candy, a popcorn machine, entertainment, clown and magician performances, musical holiday sing-a-longs and a visit from Santa Claus.  The Lions provided the group with over 1,000 toys and gifts to take home with them.  Lunch was donated by Three Sons Restaurant of Maspeth.

Sunday, December 8^th, the Maspeth Lions Club visited Midway Nursing Home, where they spent the day visiting the sick and elderly residents of the home. The Lions entertained residents with musical performances, entertainment, fun and games and each resident received a cozy fleece blanket to keep them warm through the winter months. This is part of an annual program that the Lions coordinate with the nursing home each year to bring the residents some joy and holiday cheer. Cynthia Saleh, chairperson of the event for the Lions, orders over 300 fleece blankets to donate to the nursing home residents. A special Lions Santa distribute the blankets to each resident while they are entertained by an accordion player, a clown act and Lion members singing Christmas songs.

The Maspeth Lions also held their annual Charter Night Dinner Dance on Thursday, December 12^th, at Vetro’s Catering Hall in Howard Beach, NY.  This event serves as the Lions annual fundraiser, which helps generate a substantial amount of funds used to carry out their various projects and charitable contributions throughout the year, such as the Children’s Christmas Party, the Midway Nursing Home Visit, the Halloween Ragamuffin Parade as well as donations to the Guide Dog Foundation, Lions Eye Bank, Visions Camps for the Blind, 8^th Grade Community Service Scholarships and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Among the Lions other seasonal charitable projects is the Holiday Meals on Wheels program, done in conjunction with Maspeth’s Cardinal Spellman Knights of Columbus.  On Christmas morning, the Lions and Knights delivered approximately 100 meals to local needy and homebound residents of Maspeth.

Upcoming on March 28^th, 2014 the Lions will be holding their first annual Maspeth Casino Night Fundraiser in conjunction with the Maspeth Kiwanis Club.  This event will feature live table casino gaming, Vegas-style entertainment, full dinner buffet and drinks and many different fabulous prizes.  For more information about our events, please call Lions Public Relations Chairperson, Joseph A. Papavero, at (917)559-0707.

Lions Children's Christmas Party at St. Stanislaus Parish Hall.