Photo (left to right) John Lawrence, Lions Vision Research Foundation Trustee, and Lion Lee Hunley discuss the many ways Lions support vision programs for those with vision impairment.
The third weekend, April 14-16, 2022, was proclaimed by Chestertown Mayor Mr. David Foster as “Lions Vision Days.” Nineteen Lions Club members staffed four sites in Chestertown- JBK, Redners, Molly’s, and Farmers Market. Rick Coffman, Vision Days event chair, reported that the community learned how Lions support vision impairment not only locally but through regional and national programs.
Local vision programs include:
- Buying eyeglasses for the needy.
- Transporting patients to and from eye doctor appointments.
- Conducting vision screening for school children.
- Providing eyeglass collection sites for eyeglass recycling.
Regionally, Lions support the Lions Vision Research Foundation (LVRF), which was founded in 1988 and encompasses Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. LVRF supports research, training, and patient care at the Lions Vision Research and Rehabilitation Center of the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, MD.
Nationally, the Leader Dog for the Blind Program, founded in 1939 by the Lions, is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Since its establishment, the program has paired over 14,500 dogs with the visually impaired worldwide, making it one of the largest organizations.
For more information about other local projects, the Lions Club supports, please reach out to Henry Hart, Club President, at [email protected].
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