Lions Club donates $10,000 to help rescue squad buy new ambulance this year

The Tupper Lake Lions Club donated $10,000 to the new ambulance fundraiser campaign of the Tupper Lake Emergency and Rescue Squad at its January social meeting at the VFW Post 3120.

For presentation purposes and to signify the giant gift was a giant check fashioned for the event by Lions Neil and Linda Pickering, who keep the club’s books.

Presenting it to Free Press Publisher Dan McClelland that evening were the local service club’s secretary/administrator Amanda Amell and club president, Rick Skiff. Mr. McClelland, three times a past president of the club, is part of the four-person team spearheading the ambulance fundraiser along with Humphrey Tyler of Gull Pond, Rescue Squad Treasurer Kelly Fleury and Charlie Frenette.

Like the Tupper Lake Rotary Club members did before them in recent months the Lions have challenged the community to match their $10,000 gift.

Those who want to help the Lions grow their donation to $20,000 should mark “Lions Club” on the memo line of their donation check and send it to the rescue squad’s post office box, 901, Tupper Lake, N.Y.

The Lions’ $10,000 elevates the ambulance campaign to nearly $230,000- well over half way to the total goal of $400,000. With that money the rescue squad can buy a new ambulance to replace its oldest vehicle plus purchase a new motorized cot system to help the squad’s members lift patients in and out of the ambulances.

The new vehicle and new equipment has been ordered since late last year and delivery is expected this coming fall.