It has a new Hillsboro location, but the Lynchburg Lions Club annual candy stores are open again, offering holiday treats whose proceeds will be used to help charitable organizations locally and across the globe.
In Hillsboro, the store is located on Governor Trimble Place between The Times-Gazette offices and the former fire station. The hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. It will also be open until 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3 during the Hillsboro Uptown Christmas and Saturday, Dec. 11 during the Hillsboro Lighted Christmas Parade.
In Lynchburg, there are three locations — Southern Hills Community Bank, Kratzer’s Downtown Pharmacy and the Hamilton Insurance Agency. Candy can be purchased at those locations during each store’s normal business hours.
The stores are already open and will remain open until at least Christmas.
“We always try to open up by Thanksgiving weekend, which we did last Tuesday, and our goal is to be sold out by Christmas. But if we’re not sold out by then we’ll be open the week after Christmas,” said Lynchburg Lions Club member Jim Faust.
This year the stores are offering 41 varieties candy, including five that are sugar free. The club also offers bulk sales for churches or other community groups.
“We always give discounts to the churches and other community groups that buy large quantities,” Faust said. “If they let us know, they can come in and we’ll get them what they need.”
So far, Faust said, the Lynchburg Lions have purchased $11,000 worth of candy, so they have to sell that much to break even.
“The good news is we ordered back in September. Nothing went up more than 50 cents a bag and most of them stayed the same,” Faust said.
Each bag contains at 12 ounces of candy and Faust said freshness is guaranteed. All proceeds go to charitable organizations.
Faust said that last year’s proceeds were used to benefit 25 or 26 charitable organizations. More than half of them are local organizations, but some of the proceeds go to Lions International to help with the club’s many sight saving programs.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Faust said. “The more we make the more we’ll be able to give out to other organizations.”
Faust said the Lynchburg Lions wanted to thank former Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings for donating the use of the Hillsboro candy store location.
For more information call 937-288-2235 or 937-364-6101.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
