Courtesy photo The Wells Lions Club recently presented Bay Cliff representative Clare Lutgen with a check for $3,000 for the Bay Cliff Health Camp. The donation stems from the Lions Club “deerslayer” meeting held in January. Each year the “silver bullet” gets passed and that member is chosen to put on a venison feed for the club, that member then gets to choose a charity to donate our “pass the hat” money to. This year due to COVID, the club started the collection virtually which raised nearly $1,800. At the meeting itself the club got the total up to $3,000, by far the most we’ve ever collected. The generosity from the members for this particular charity is due, in part, to the historic relationship between Lions Club and Bay Cliff, which goes back to the 1930s when the Lions club first donated money to go towards the purchase of Bay Cliff farm. Pictured, from left, are, Wells Lions President Steve Lieburn, Club Treasurer Brett Way, Bay Cliff representative Clare Lutgen, Lions member and this year’s deerslayer Tom Schorn.

ESCANABA — Local service groups are changing their approach to fundraising due to COVID-19 and plowing ahead.

Since March of 2020, membership numbers are holding steady at best or going down in most organizations. Donations however, seem to be holding steady or going up.

Escanaba Noon Kiwanis Secretary Julie Mallard said they are down 11 members since a year ago. These days the group meets via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The club mission is primarily focused on helping children, though it has expanded since the pandemic began to help other organizations fulfill basic needs.

Kiwanis was forced to cancel the Home & Garden Show — its main annual fundraising event. The club hopes to move forward with a modified version this year, but are also exploring alternate fundraising options. Former Kiwanis President and current member Estelle Smyth says Kiwanis is planning a raffle in the spring.

“Raffles are something that work well when the economy is down. People like to win prizes,” Smyth says.

Wells Lions Club Treasurer Brett Way agrees. The Lions Club does a raffle every year that spans 52 weeks, from August through July. The raffle offers a $100 prize weekly for five weeks, followed by two $250 prizes every sixth week. Way says the raffle has been a good way for the club to continue bringing in money, as its usual fundraising events — including Beer Fest, a logging contest, and a food trailer at the state fair — were canceled in 2020.

In response to pandemic restrictions, the Lions Club recently went virtual to raise money for Bay Cliff Health Camp. The camp is a therapy and wellness center serving the needs of those with disabilities. Every year at their deer slayer meeting, Wells Lions Club members pass the hat to raise money for a charity chosen by the year’s deer slayer. Tom Schorn, this year’s deer slayer, chose Bay Cliff.

Soon after the club started the online deer slayer collection, members began matching each other’s donations. By the time the club actually held their meeting, they had raised $3,000 — a record year for the fundraiser.

Echoing the Lions Club move to a virtual event format, the GFWC Escanaba Women’s club brought their annual charity ball online in 2020, re-christening it “Party with a Purpose – Virtual Charity Ball.” The December event was successful, raising money through an auction, a raffle and the sale of Christmas tree ornaments.

“This community is so generous, always has been. We are very, very fortunate,” said GFWC Escanaba Women’s club Vice President Sue Clifton.

The women’s club focuses on making things better for the community, with a focus on children. Past donation activities included providing clothing and mittens for Webster Elementary School children, books for kindergartners and first graders, and providing support to Bay Cliff Health Camp and the YMCA. The club also donates to Escanaba and Gladstone St. Vincent de Paul food banks.

The women’s club gets most of its community assistance requests from social workers in the schools. The club provided supplies for the 2020-2021 school year last August through their Wishes on Wheels program to fulfill just such a need.

Like other service organizations, however, the women’s club is finding some pandemic-induced obstacles tough to get around. This year the club wasn’t able to partner with other organizations as they have in the past. This includes having to indefinitely postpone their monthly luncheons to collect empty toilet paper rolls, shredded paper and wax to support Lakestate Industries.

The Escanaba High School Key Club’s community outreach has also been limited over the past year by COVID-19. Key Club is a the oldest and largest service program for high school students. As a member of the Kiwanis International family, the student-led organization teaches leadership through service to others.

“Because we are a service organization that gives service to home, school and community, we have been handcuffed in what we can do because of the pandemic,” said Key Club advisor Linda Beauchamp.

The club was able to help with the Senior Commodities during the pandemic, through the Senior Center, because distribution took place outside at the fairgrounds. A current project — heart-shaped fleece tie pillows for nursing homes — will have to be dropped off outside.

“It’s tough on everyone… the kids are used to helping,” said Beauchamp.

The club normally joins forces with other Key Clubs in the area to accomplish service projects. This year, though, the combination of COVID-19 regulations and varying school schedules makes pooling resources difficult.

Two ongoing services the Key Club will continue to provide are food banks and blood drives. Beauchamp said the club started a food bank at Escanaba High School a few years ago for students and recently added another at Escanaba Student Success Center. The club continues to host blood drives. The next drive will be on Feb. 3 at the Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District building.

“We do what we can given the circumstances,” Beauchamp said.