The Kyiv Lions Club staged its annual Cossack Night charity event on June 30, which proved to be its most successful to date with almost 600 people attending and the amount raised estimated at USD 135,000. Part of Lions Club International, the world’s largest service club, Kyiv Lions Club was founded in 2002 and now stages three annual fund raising events. In addition to Cossack Night, they also host a President Gala Dinner and a Burn’s Night.
Cossack Night has been held annually for the past three years and has been the fastest growing of all the events. In its first year, it saw 175 guests which increased to just over 200 in the second year. The mammoth leap to 600 this year also means a massive increase in the money raised on the night. Previous Cossack nights raised USD 20,000 and USD 25,000 compared to this year’s USD 135,000.
Huge increase in interest
The huge increase in funds raised by Cossack Night in Kyiv corresponds to an improving trend seen at the Burn’s Night staged earlier in the year which raised USD 107,000 compared to USD 38,000 last year. Burn’s Night has been staged annually in Kyiv for eleven years.
Kyiv Lions Club president Ken Nachbar estimates that of the 600 guests at the event, 200 were members and their families and friends, another 200 were sponsors and their associates and the remaining 200 were members of the general public who responded to advertisements in the press, radio and television.
This growth can mainly be attributed to the work of members, Nachbar says. The Kyiv Lions Club has seen the number of members increase from 35 to 60 over the past three years, making it quite a large club in comparison to Lions Clubs in other countries. “Usually clubs have around 40 members and new clubs are formed as more members show interest. In western European cities the size of Kyiv we would have 10 to 15 clubs,” Nachbar explains.
The number of Lions Clubs in Ukraine remains fairly small, according to Nachbar. The situation, however, is improving and there are now a total of five in the country, the most recent of which is one in Odessa which opened last month. “We are also hopeful of opening a second club in Kyiv soon,” says Nachbar.
A major reason for slow growth of the Lions movement in Ukraine is general cynicism towards charitable organisations, Nachbar says. “There is enormous cynicism in Ukraine when it comes to charity,” he says. “A lot of people think it is some kind of rip-off or shady deal. Our members make no money from their membership and we don’t spend any of the money raised on club overhead or administration. Every single penny we raise at events goes straight to the projects we support.”
Not only has the cynicism impacted upon the growth of the Lions Club here in Ukraine, it has also delayed the passing of a law to make charitable donations tax deductible, which has been under consideration by lawmakers for several years now. “There is suspicion in the Rada that companies would use the law to cheat on their taxes,” Nachbar says.
The Kyiv Lions Club has been working hard at eradicating cynicism and their efforts are proving successful - the club has seen a tremendous increase in overall fundraising over the last few years having raised USD 50,000 in 2005, USD 100,000 in 2006 and USD 250,000 in the first half of this year.
Charitable donations
In addition to the three annual fund-raising events, the club also raises money through charitable donations. Earlier this year, the international property developer Seven Hills donated USD 30,000 and one member’s mother ran a marathon in the UK and raised USD 10,000.
The biggest problem facing the club now is not the ability to raise money, but rather how and where to spend it. “We are spending a lot of time finding projects that will put the money to good use. Last year, we had USD 100,000 to spend; now we already have more than twice that, which means a lot of running around looking at projects,” he explains.
Despite the hard work involved in finding specific projects for the money, three general areas have been agreed upon by club members: vulnerable children, the disabled and the elderly. The majority of funds raised thus far have gone to medical equipment such as incubators. “Kyiv has an infant mortality rate three times higher than that of any US city, which is in part due to a severe lack of suitable equipment,” Nachbar says.
