What can the Mahomet Lions club do for the community?
It’s one of the first questions they answer when they think about fundraising.
Like everything else in 2020, the Mahomet Lions Club was not able to put up their beer tent at the Mahomet Music Festival due to its cancellation. But, they saw the opportunity in the vacant Mahomet Music Festival parade time slot to honor first responders and Veterans.
“We met virtually to talk about different ideas about what we could do in the community and the thought of an honor parade came up,” Lions Club member Cory Mitchell said. “We thought it’d be a great idea for the community.”
Entrants paid a $100 fee to be on a float that drove an approximate 2-mile route with hundreds of spectators.
Mitchell said that while the totals are not in yet, 65 entries and a few sponsorships, will result in about half the funds the Lions Club usually raises annually during the same weekend. Mitchell said that businesses or organizations that were not able to participate either donated in-kind or sponsored a local honoree.
“We’re always looking at different ways to raise funds because all of our funds go back into the community,” Mitchell said.
The Lions Club provides local screening for eyeglasses and hearing aids. They also give back in the way of scholarships and provide funds for the Mahomet Area Youth Clubs.
“It’s a really good feeling that you know we do know that all the funds will go back into the community,” Mitchell said. “We’re always looking to give those dollars back to folks in need.”
Mitchell said that Saturday’s Honor Parade also gave back to personnel in a way that was not expected.
“Even from the time that they were enrolling or sending their application or their entry form, there was a lot of excitement, a lot of emotion for some of them,” Mitchell said. “They were just very thankful that people were thinking about them.”
While the parade did not include walkers or candy, like it usually does, Mitchell said it was very heartwarming to see groups of people proud of what they do. He especially like seeing first responders get to be in the parade, whereas they may not have been included in a parade before.
It was not just Mahomet first responders or Veterans that participated. The Lions Club reached out to other municipalities throughout Champaign County to invite them to participate. The Illinois State Police, Champaign County Police, the University of Illinois, Rantoul and Gibson City were just some of the other entities who participated.
“We wanted anybody and all that could come,” Mitchell said.
The Mahomet Lions Club wants to extend the same invitation for their Sept. 25 golf scramble to the community.
Funds raised for the foursome golf scramble, that includes free food and drinks, will also go right back into the Mahomet community.
To find out more information about the event or to become a Lions Club member, visit Mahomet’s page at https://www.facebook.com/mahometlionsclub.
