Christmastime is a time to celebrate and that is exactly what the members of the Summit Hill Lions Club did when they held their recent holiday party at Macaluso's at the Lantern, Nesquehoning.

The annual Christmas party was a time for giving for the club, as it officially fulfilled a five-year commitment to St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale, with the check presentation made by President Judy Midas.In presenting the check for $1,000 to Micah Gursky, the hospital's director of development, Midas said the money was the fifth installment of a pledge of $5,000 the Lions made back in 2009.At the same time, Midas revealed the club members' recent funding decision, a $5,000 pledge to the Summit Hill Historical Society's beautification of the Ludlow Park.As for the St. Luke's funding, Gursky, who accepted the check, said, "We at St. Luke's are appreciative of the Lions Club's commitment toward the Committed to Caring Capital Campaign." That campaign, he said, raised over $4 million to help St. Luke's Miners Campus complete the new Critical Care Unit, and other capital improvements."Each year for the past five years at their annual Christmas celebration, the Summit Hill club members presented us a check for $1,000 for a total gift of $5,000," Gursky explained. "Their gift, plus hundreds of other gifts and pledges, have helped to make St. Luke's Miners Campus one of the finest community hospitals in Pennsylvania. Across the St. Luke's University Health Network, more than $75 million was raised to help St. Luke's continue the charitable mission of providing high quality care close to home."Gursky said all of the charitable gifts and donations designated for St. Luke's Miners Campus are used "right here in our region to improve the St. Luke's Miner's facilities and services which benefit local people."He added, "Without the generous financial support of the Summit Hill Lions Club and many other contributing organizations and individuals who have made donations, bequests and pledges, the transformation of our community hospital would not be possible. The Summit Hill club members work so hard year round to help worthwhile causes and you can see that they have fun and enjoy helping their community."Gursky closed, "This hospital is a different place than it was five years ago, and it's thanks to many generous and dedicated people like the Summit Hill Lions."Meanwhile, Midas said, "The Lions are proud to be able to fulfill our commitment to St. Luke's. As president, I am thankful to members of the club who help raise this kind of money so that we can make this kind of contribution to not only the hospital but the people it serves."She explained the club members decided recently to make a similar commitment to the historical society, which is renovating the walkways in Ludlow Park with the installation of pavers. Midas said the club made an initial donation of $1,500 to the beautification project in September. The remaining money ($3,500) will follow in installments, she said."It is with great pleasure that our club will be contributing $5,000 to another most worthy cause. We are happy to make this kind of commitment as our part of service to the community."Meanwhile, like they have done for the past few years, the club members made other financial donations to organizations, presenting $200 checks to the Summit Hill Historical Society, Summit Hill Shade Tree Commission, Summit Hill Recreation Commission, Summit Hill Diligence Fire Company, Toys for Tots, Carbon County Friends of Animals and the Salvation Army.