Parkersburg Lions Club sees success in fundraising; gives to local agencies

PARKERSBURG -- Despite the pandemic, the Parkersburg Lions Club was able to raise more money than usual this year for local agencies.

The service organization has donated $500 each to the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, the Parkersburg Art Center, the Wood County Society, the Salvation Army and the Children's Listening Place.

The annual Out of Sight Dinner usually held in April was postponed until August in hopes the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions would be lifted.

"However, they were not," Lions Secretary Tracy Hively said. "We sold all of our tickets for the reverse raffle drawing and wasn't able to provide our ticket holders with the dinner we normally provide at the Parkersburg Country Club."

Few ticket holders asked for a refund, she said.

"Which means we were able to pocket a lot more money than usual," Hively said. "So this year we are giving back to try to help the downtown nonprofit organizations that are struggling due to COVID."

The $500 donations to the Art Center, Actors Guild and Wood County Society were made earlier this year. The donations to the Salvation Army, The ARC of the Mid-Ohio Valley and the Children's Listening Place were made on Thursday.