No rescheduling of Kiwicoast Lions book fair

Te Puke Kiwicoast Lions won't be re-arranging their cancelled 2020 book fair.

Te Puke Kiwicoast Lions have decided not to try and rearrange their 2020 book fair.

Due to be held on June 26-28, but postponed, the club made the decision last week that the next fair would be in June 2021.

Convener Helen Potter says there were too many factors working against re-arranging it.

''This was our 25th year as well, but with Covid-19 and lack of time we'd need to re-advertise and the cost involved - we'd already spent our budget as it was - the general consensus of members was we'll leave it til next year,'' she says.

The club had looked at an October as an alternative, but Helen says it is a busy month as events begin again after winter.

''We could only get a booking in the hall for the beginning of October. That's in the school holidays and we usually have the high school rugby boys to help us, but they will be on school holidays so we won't have that.''

The book fair is club's biggest single source of funds, so the cancellation will hit the amount of money available to help the community.

''We are a bit saddened, but we'll certainly, maybe not as much financially, help people and we're there, ready to serve and help out physically in the community any way we can.

''We've got enough (money) to keep us going until next year, but it's going to be tight.''

The club has held other, successful fundraising events in the past and will continue to explore fundraising opportunities.

''We've got a few things up our sleeves,'' says Helen. ''We're not the only charitable organisation that will be struggling for a little while. Like many other people we need to work out new ways of doing things.''

The club will continue to collect books to sell at next year's book fair.