ST. PAULS — The St. Pauls Lions Club is kicking off its 32nd annual Loflin-Walker Christmas Fund drive to help disadvantaged people and families in the community during the holiday.

The club typically raises more than $25,000 annually from donations and grants in order to provide clothing, food, fuel and Christmas toys to more than 250 families who live within the St. Pauls school district, according to David Evans, chairman of the civic club.

Evans said applications will be distributed at the town’s three schools and also town businesses for people to fill out. The deadline to return applications is Dec. 4. The fund committee, made up of club members and town residents, will meet in early December to assess the applications and allocate the resources. Recipients in the school system will receive vouchers in mid-December to use at town businesses. Other vouchers will be distributed at the Scout Hut on Dec. 15.

The fund was named in honor of the late Joe Loflin, the longtime town administrator, and the late Johnny Walker, the longtime club secretary.

After Christmas, Evans said, the club also uses the money to help those who suffered from fire damage and to provide eye exams and glasses from the town’s optometrists, Dr. Nathan Lieberman, a club member, and his wife Ann, or other needs as they may arise.

Loflin started the fund when he noticed that St. Pauls residents were contributing to a similar fund drive in Fayetteville and decided his hometown could do the same thing. The first fund drive raised about $4,200 and helped 40 to 50 families. It has grown ever since.

Donations may be mailed to the St. Pauls Lions Club at P.O. Box 693, St. Pauls, N.C., 28384.

For information, contact Evans at 910-734-3452 or 910-865-3993, Jack Stephens, club secretary, 910-717-9355.