Lions & Seniors Celebrate 40 Years and 10,000 Meals – Mike Cohen

Weary from several long evenings of coordinating dinner preparation for 200 seniors, Culver City Lion Elliot Heffler paused on Thanksgiving Day to absorb the noble feeling of having served more than 10,000 dinners the past 40 years to seniors.
Chairing the annual event since its inception, Heffler said, “This project happens because our Culver City businesses are dedicated to providing their products and services to our seniors. Lion members always come through, often including family and friends to make the holiday bright for our golden agers.”
Meals are served at no cost to the seniors, as local companies and the Culver City Lions pitch in to provide traditional Thanksgiving dinners with ample mounds of turkey, stuffing, yams, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce and, of course, pumpkin pie.
Committee members Eileen and Steve Blumin, Dick Sharpe and Jack Barton began preparing the trimmings several days before the holiday. Mayor Micheal O’Leary, a Culver City Lion, and City Councilmember Meghan Sahli-Wells officially welcomed the guests.
Event sponsors include Sorrento Italian Market (Albert Vera Jr.), Golden State Water (Bob Nila), Culver Center Flowers (Mike Eskridge), and Miss California Pageant (Lynn Miller).
Culver City Lions meet second and fourth Tuesdays, noon, at Sizzler’s Fox Hills, For more info, contact Heffler (310-384-2540).
READY TO SERVE: (Top Left Photo) Culver City Lions Club members and volunteers pose before serving meals to 200 seniors at no cost, Thanksgiving Day, at the Culver City Senior Center. Lions club officer Elliot Heffler (fifth from left) has chaired the annual charitable activity for 40 years. Committee members Steve Blumin (seventh from left), Dick Sharpe (fourth from right) and Jack Barton (at right) began preparing the fixings several days before the holiday. Mayor Micheal O’Leary (center, wearing black), a Culver City Lion, and City Councilmember Meghan Sahli-Wells (not pictured) officially welcomed the guests.

HOT FOOD: (Bottom Right) Culver City Lions serve meals to senior citizens, Thanksgiving Day, at the Culver City Senior Center. Lion officer Elliot Heffler has chaired the annual club activity for 40 years, during which more than 10,000 dinners have been provided at no cost to the seniors.
Photo Credit – David Heffler