The Lions Club of Taupō Pakeke may be made up of retired older members, but their efforts to raise money for good causes are a fulltime job.
The group of 30 older men and women counts members aged 70-90 among their ranks; ‘pakeke’ fittingly means respected elder.
In the last four months alone, the members have clocked up more than 1600 volunteer hours to raise funds, including on the Lakeland Lions Club train, selling Christmas cakes and raffle tickets, and making predator traps for conservation activities.
All of the members’ work has enabled the club to provide financial support for projects for 10 different organisations in this time.
This included $1568 for Hinemoa Kindergarten, $2760 for the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, $1000 for the Life Education Trust and $500 for Taupō Forest and Bird. These, and the six other significant donations, bring the total raised to $8368.
