Can crushing Lion raising thousands for local youth
Author of the article: Jacob Robinson
Fisherville Lions member Floyd Moerschfelder is well on his way to crushing 500,000 beer cans and raising $50,000 for local sports programs in the process. Pictured alongside Moerschfelder are sisters Ady and Rylynn Davidson of the Haldimand Rivercats. Photo by Jacob Robinson
Some people enjoy crushing beer cans for their birthday; Floyd Moerschfelder has taken it to a different level.
While he’s not much of a drinker, just one day following his 87th trip around the sun, the longtime Fisherville Lions Club member was holding court at his family farm, speaking to reporters about raising close to $50,000 for local sports by crushing and donating cans.
With the help of his fellow Lions, Haldimand’s “Can Crushing Champ” has squashed nearly half a million empties.
“Back in 2021, the Fisherville Lions had a bottle and can drive, and we got swamped,” Moerschfelder recalled. “We had so much stuff that the Lion looking after it was three or four months before he got rid of it. We had a meeting one night, and he said, ‘Never again’. I opened up my big mouth and said, ‘I’ll do it,’ and I’m still doing it.”
Moerschfelder soon came up with a goal of donating $50,000 by early April. He currently sits less than $7000 from achieving the mark.
“I’m obsessed by it,” said Moerschfelder, who crushes cans with a homemade device in a room attached to his son’s cattle barn. “I can’t wait to do it – I can’t wait to get over here and crush more beer cans. It’s a big thing right now.”
Every morning, Moerschfelder sets out to crush 500 cans, but often returns at night if he falls behind. On average, the group has collected, crushed and delivered $500 per week to The Beer Store in nearby Hagersville.
With word of his exploits spreading across the county, Moerschfelder has even enjoyed some divine intervention while leaving church this past Sunday.
“I got in my truck and started for home. I looked in the rear view mirror, and there was bags and stuff in the back,” he said. “There was 1500 beer cans in the back of the truck and a whole bunch of bottles. Our Lion chief, Bill (Roth), said: “Things will go a lot better now because God’s on our side.”
“One of the reasons this is so successful is how well he’s known, and our Lions Club is very well known in the area, too,” said Walt Schaeffer, a fellow club member.
“The community has got to support this for it to happen, and the community is hugely behind this.”
During the campaign, the club has donated $500 to a host of local squads.
“This year, for one of my son’s teams, we didn’t have to pay for any tournaments; it was all covered,” said Cayuga hockey mom Alesha McLeod. “We all donate back our cans now.”
While speaking about the project, Moerschfelder enjoyed a visit from Cayuga native and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Marty McSorley.
“I’m fortunate enough I travel around a lot to charity events and different things, and you see the volunteerism, and what really resonates with me, the hockey rinks and the baseball diamonds, they’re such a gathering point for the community,” the 62-year-old said.
After his time in Cayuga, McSorley played over 900 National Hockey League games in, amongst other cities, Edmonton, Los Angeles, New York Rangers, and Boston, but he never forgot the folks back home who helped make those dreams a reality.
“Even at my age, I remember the people that not only made an impact but gave me an opportunity, because without that, I wouldn’t have had the chance to do what I did,” McSorley said. “I was a little boy when they first put artificial ice into Cayuga, (and) it was because of the efforts of so many people in town. You never forget that.”
To help Moerschfelder reach his goal, drop-off locations have been placed at the Fisherville Tavern, Kohler Rd. (near the 3rd Concession) and at the intersection of Selkirk Townline and 5th Concession, Walpole. The club is also providing regular updates on its Facebook page. Users can gain access by simply searching for “Fisherville Lions Club”.
Lions Al (St. Davids), Keith & Sharon (Merritton), Alan & Glenn (Grantham) present cheque to John & Aileen
St Davids & District, Grantham and Merritton Lions clubs each donated $1700 to Niagara Warehouse of Hope on March 25, 2025. This total donation of $5100 was used to purchase a much needed Essilor Alm500 Auto Lensmeter. This equipment will help volunteers efficiently calibrate used eyeglasses donated to the Warehouse. This donation brings their total number of machines to four (4) and allows volunteers to sort glasses onsite and at remote locations.
Merritton and Grantham Lions clubs collect used eyeglasses from all optometrists in St. Catharines on a quarterly basis. St Davids Lions Club is the drop off centre for all of District A 2 Lions Clubs. Glasses collected are donated to the Warehouse of Hope, who then sort, clean, calibrate and package these glasses for shipment. In the past two years a total of 20,000 pairs of glasses have been shipped to Cuba, Philippines, Haiti, Congo and Guatemala.
The Niagara Warehouse of Hope was founded in 1989 by Mary and Ted van der Zalm Sr. It is run by volunteers with one mission: Helping People Help Themselves. Their focus is on shipping donated medical equipment & supplies, food, clothing, household items and school supplies to those in need both locally and offshore. Small in house projects include sewing projects, calibrating used eyeglasses, crocheting matts from milk bags and repairing computers and medical aid equipment.
