SANDPOINT — When Ben Saunders saw the state of Nick Joyce's backyard, he knew he had to help.

Overgrown with a thicket of brush and weeds that had grown to 6 to 8 feet tall, the British cavalry veteran was unable to make a dent due to his COPD and arthritis. He'd reached out to his local council for help — but four years later, he was still waiting for help, according to a story on the Good News Network website.

Saunders, who owns Flawless Cleaning Services in the London suburb of Sidcup, has been working to transform the gardens and backyards of those in need through his company's Flawless Blessings. He'd founded the charitable arm of his company in 2022 as a way to give back to his community in recognition and thanks for all he has received.

Joyce had been nominated for a transformation and when Saunders saw the 63-year-old veteran's backyard, he knew he had to help.

Over the course of several days, Saunders and his team cut down the weeds and turned the garden from an unused, overgrown mess to a yard where Joyce could sit with his dog, Willow, and grow vegetables in the raised garden beds created by the Flawless Blessings team.

As Saunders and his team worked to transform the garden, they talked to the veteran and learned he had to leave his job about seven months earlier when his car broke down, the GNN story reported. The factory was too far away to bike there and there was no public transit to his job. Joyce also had to rely on local corner shops because the nearest supermarkets were 12 miles away and he had no way to get there.

“They don’t have a bus route that way, and the cycle route to his job sounded impossible for a guy his age,” Saunders told a GNN reporter. “He was just staring at the same four walls every day.”

He realized the isolation faced by Joyce was untenable and realized many of the problems could be sold with a new vehicle. So,  Saunders launched a GoFundMe campaign through his YouTube channel, Flawless Cleaning Services, which shares videos of the transformations and works to spread kindness. Before long, the campaign raised more than $14,500, allowing Saunders to buy a reliable used vehicle with relatively low miles to give to Joyce.

Joyce told GNN that the kindness shown by the Flawless Blessings team not only gave him the ability to again work, it restored his faith in others.

For Saunders, seeing the impact of the transformation reminded him of why he launched Flawless Blessings to begin with.

“Kindness ripples,” he told the reporter. “Seeing how one act can change someone’s life reminds me why I do this.”

Like Saunders and the Flawless Blessings team, the Sandpoint Lions Club works to give back and transform others' lives, albeit through toys and Christmas cheer instead of garden transformations.

You, too, can help transform lives by giving to Toys for Tots and help make Christmas merry.

Today's generous donations, totaling $2,702.50 come from: the Gregory J. Daiker Family Trust, Deborah A. Brown, $1,000; Shirley A. Parker, for the family of Jack Parker, $200; Robert E. Rust, Jr., M.D. and Marian C. Rust "in honor of George Van Rossum, $200; Terry Cravens, $50; anonymous, $100; George Eskridge, "in memory of Jenise" $200; Susan Johnson and the Johnson family, "in memory of William Johnson, beloved son and brother," $500; Paul and Nancy Thompson, $100; Barbara Buchanan and Rick Dalessio, $250; Janice S. DeBaun, $100; and anonymous, $2.50.

To date, the campaign has raised $9,652.50 toward its $75,000 goal to provide Christmas presents to those in need in the Lake Pend Oreille School District.

If you know someone who needs help, make sure they sign up so Christmas is a happy holiday for everyone in the community. The deadline this year is Dec. 12 to sign up and Dec. 13 to pick up toys.

Each year, the Lions team up with local businesses and residents through Toys for Tots to ensure everyone has a merry Christmas.

Funds raised go toward purchasing new toys for area children — or gift cards for older youth — who live in the Lake Pend Oreille School District.

Every Christmas, the Lions help almost 1,000 area children, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in between.

This year’s goal is $75,000 to ensure all area youth receive a present. Donations may be mailed to the Sandpoint Lions Club, P.O. Box 414, Sandpoint, ID 83864, or dropped into any coin jar around town. Donations should include a note that it is for Toys for Tots and, if you wish to remain anonymous, please mention that in your note.

Donations made by check are preferred. Be sure to include a note with your check indicating that it is a Toys for Tots donation. If you wish to make an anonymous donation, please include a note.

If the donation is being made in someone’s name, be sure to also include a note.

Each day during the drive, donors’ names will be published along with the amount of their donations. A running total will be included to help the community know where the Toys for Tots campaign stands.

If you can, please consider donating. Every penny, every dollar adds up, and if we all pitch in, we can make this, once again, a successful Toys for Tots campaign. Additional donations help the Lions buy ahead and make the most of the community’s generous support.

In Sandpoint, toys and donations can be dropped off at the Bonner County Daily Bee, Mr. Sub, Columbia Bank, Connie’s Cafe, Serv-A-Burger, Mountain West Bank, Pivo Peaks Alehouse, Sandpoint Family Medicine and Urgent Care, and the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

In Sagle, toys and donations can be dropped off at Buckin’ Beans and Encoder Products (in the front lobby, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

In Ponderay, toys and donations can be dropped off at Alpenglow Salon, Walmart, North 40, Columbia Bank, Arnie’s, Better Together Animal Shelter, Community Resource EnVision Center, Litehouse, Elite Tire, Vinnie Todd’s Barbershop, Hoot Owl, Papa Murphy’s and Mountain West Bank.

Information: Sandpoint Lions Club, 208-263-4118, [email protected] or bit.ly/SandpointLions