COURTESY PHOTO The Herald
Volunteers prepared gifts to be given to local families and children.

Rockton Lions Club members were joined by volunteers who spread joy to 140 families on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 21, where special deliveries were made through the Wimpy’s Fund.

Smiles came to the faces of 360 children who were recipients of this caring act of providing toys, food, clothing, gifts and toiletries.

It is estimated that around 100-300 families in Rockton, Roscoe, Shirland, South Beloit and Harrison receive an extra dose of help each year.

In the week prior to delivery of food, toys, and clothing, numerous volunteers spent many hours at Apex General Contracting in South Beloit.

In one room, volunteers lovingly wrap presents. They are sorted in a separate room, with wishes filled from a corresponding list.

Another room was filled with food, ready to fill baskets, and bags of canned goods, all assembled by volunteers. All of the food is purchased or donated by the Rockton Lions Club and community members.

Volunteers load baskets with ham, bread, milk, eggs, margarine, a five pound bag of potatoes, hot chocolate, syrup and desserts.

Families also receive toilet paper, Kleenex, toothpaste and new toothbrushes.

Jessica Green is one of the volunteers who has returned every year, for at least the past eight years.

“When I first started helping with Wimpy’s Fund, it was just my grandma and I. Now my younger sisters and my partner Maddie have joined in.

This has become a yearly family tradition of giving that we all look forward to. I love that we get to share in this experience,” Jessica Green said.

Local school districts referred and verified all names of families who could use a lift during the season, to assure a need for those receiving these gifts. Parents provide lists that the gifts are based off.

Rockton and Roscoe schools are key supporters of Wimpy’s Fund.

Businesses display tags for community members to adopt a family. Employees in those businesses lend a helping hand by adopting a family or through donations of gifts for families. Extra donations come in from churches and schools, with some also adopting a family.

Several organizations hold toy drives and donate those toys to Wimpy’s Fund.

Others have “Giving Trees” where items are collected and donated.

First National Bank and Trust receives financial donations.

A group of core volunteers put the auction together led by co-chairs Terrie Garlow and Carol Wright.

They gather donations and organize both the silent and live auction event. Many other Lions members lend a hand by donating or helping during the auction.

Volunteers work for at least a month on things related to the auction, with a weekly meeting to plan the next steps, making phone calls to organize and gather donated items.

Volunteers for the delivery day are too many to count. They are a huge group of Lions members, people in the community, businesses, school districts and local churches.

The overall process to make Wimpy’s Fund come to life each year starts in October. Rockton Lions Club members and community volunteers spend a total of well over 200 hours of time each year. This covers paperwork, communications with the schools, and man hours.

“The auction did well this year, the amazing community businesses and indivual support with donated baskets and items made it the success it was,” said auction co-chair Terrie Garlow.

Wimpy’s fund began in memory of former Rockton police chief Everett Vaughn who served as Chief from 1977-1981.

He was given the nickname Wimpy based on the cartoon character in a Popeye who walked the streets and carried a sandwich board.

As he was helping children cross the street, he would notice that some of the children didn’t have gloves, hats and socks.

He went one step further and took the mothers of those families shopping to buy clothing, groceries and one gift for each child in need. His wife Betty provided Christmas dinner for the families; over time they added toys into the mix.

Vaughn passed away in 1997 and his friend Jack Stewart took action in carrying on his legacy. Other Lions Club members have teamed up over the years to make the Christmas season special by carrying on this long time tradition.

Rockton and Roscoe schools have remained key supporters of Wimpy’s Fund.

“On delivery day, we had a record number of families and over 360 children that had food for Christmas break, and presents for Christmas morning.

The amount of volunteers that are there for delivery and who load the cars inspires the Lions every year. We could never accomplish what we do without all of the support that we get every year,” Garlow said.

 
 
 
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