At Monday’s lunchtime meeting of the Hope Lions Club, member Richard Allen, English teacher and Leo Club sponsor at Garrett Memorial Christian School introduced two high-ranking members of the Leos to provide an update on their activities since the start of the 24-25 school year. 

Allen said the Leos are in their third year at Garrett Memorial and during those years he had “some absolutely wonderful people to work with.”  The club had recently added another vice president position, this one for projects. He introduced Natalee Chunn, Vice President of Financing and Adalyn Peek, Vice President for Projects. 

Chunn told the Lions of the Leos’ work during the past semester.  “What we've done this year or this semester, is we had a bake sale in November, raised $250,” she said. “And for our future fundraising, we're going to make Valentine's things to sell at the school, and people can buy them for themselves or each other and send them out, and then the money, we're going to use that to make valentines for kids at Children's Hospital.” 

Peek introduced herself and said the Leos had held a bake sale and purchased teddy bears for police to hand out to children involved in car accidents.  “We also helped this year, or last semester, at the [Hope Lions’] Christmas auction, as well as at fish fries, and we're planning to keep doing those as long as we're able to do this,” Peek said. 

The two answered questions asked by Lions members, including how many members are in the Leo Club at Garrett (sixteen) and how often they held meetings (once a month or when there is need to plan something out, Chunn said.) 

The Leos also received praise for their being so helpful during the Lions Club Christmas auction held last month, which collected, as Lions President Steve Atchley announced December 10th, $29,471, part of which was used to buy the contents of 125 holiday food boxes that were donated to area low-income households chosen after the review of applications. 

Leo Club membership is open to high school students.  The Garrett Memorial Christian Church chapter’s faculty sponsors are Beth Lloyd and Richard Allen.  Off-campus sponsors are Lion Members Mark Ross, Josie Carlton and Debbie Marsh.  Student President of the chapter is Abbi Brewer.