Deseret News                                                  Sunday, December 3, 2006

Preservation of Sight Gets $7,900 Boost

The September Harmons/Lions breakfast project raised $7,900 to support vision treatment and research projects in Utah. A check was presented to the Utah Lions Foundation at the recent District 28-U Lions Club Convention. It will be used to support vision treatment and research projects in Utah.
The check was presented by Bob and Randy Harmon of Harmons stores. The project included nine Harmons stores and 20 Lions clubs from Ogden to Draper. Harmons donated all of the food, and the respective Lions clubs cooked and served.
According to Bill Barton, member of the Hunter Lions Club, as many as 400 people receive eye tissue transplants each year in Utah The partnership with Harmons helps support the Utah Lions Eye Bank at he Moran Eye Center that harvests, stores and distributes corneas to those awaiting a transplant. The eye bank also supplies tissue for research and educational projects.
Lions clubs furnish eye examinations and buy eyeglasses for the needy throughout the year and do vision screening and other sight-saving projects.

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Although 50 percent of all vision loss is preventable or treatable, almost 47,000 Americans lose their sight each year. Many of these individuals do not have access to affordable eye care.
Earlier this year, the Utah Lions Foundation, with the cooperation of the Moran Eye Center, kicked off "The Utah Eye Care Initiative," a new project that will enable underserved individuals to obtain quality eye care, even surgery, at little or no cost.
The Utah Lions Foundation, through its 85 Utah Lions clubs and for over 25 years, has worked with the Utah Lions
Eye Bank in conducting cornea transplants and promoting eye, organ and tissue donation.
Many projects are conducted annually in vision-screening for both the young and old as well as working with the Utah Foundation for the Blind, the Special Olympics and the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.
They sponsor many projects throughout the year to raise public awareness and funds for community needs. The funds faised include direct assistance, paying for eye examinations, and furninshing eyeglasses for members of the community who cannot afford it.
Some programs also focus on diabetes awareness and management, since diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the United States today.
Lions membership is open to anyone with the desire to serve others, who are at least 18 years of age, male or female.
The Lion's youth clubs, the Leos, have similar projects and stress "character values, community service and leadership training for the youth." The end result is better trained community leadership with a stronger commitment to ongoing service and involvement.
While vision is a primary, ongoing focus, Lions clubs and members provide leadership in many other local issues and projects. Some examples include recreational facilities and programs especially targeted at youth.
Although Lions prohibit political and sectarian activities within their clubs, they encourage members to be active as individuals in their faith-based and political affiliations.
For further information, contact William T. Barton at (801) 978-3363.

Utah Family April ‘07

LIONS CLUBS RECOGNIZE FAMILIES
AS KEY TO VOLUNTEERISM

Utah Lions clubs, along with Lions Clubs International, have adopted a new endeavor to encourage families to work together to help create a better community for themselves and their neighbors, and to promote sight preservation.

Just as an individual can be more effective working with others, families can accomplish much more when working with others as compared with working alone.

This is also a way of showing children the importance and value of volunteering and helping others.

Lions clubs offer a number of community service projects that families, as well as individuals, can work on to help others and to improve their community. People can join other families in a Lions club to help make a difference in their community.

Helping people with vision problems is the major focus of Lions clubs. Although 50 percent of all vision loss is preventable or treatable, almost 47,000 Americans lose their sight each year. Many of these individuals do not have access to affordable eye care.

Realizing these needs, Utah Lions clubs conduct many projects throughout the year to identify eyesight problems and help correct them. They do vision-screening for both the young and old as well as work with the Moran Eye Center, The Utah Foundation for the Blind, the Special Olympics and the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.

The Utah Lions Foundation, through its 85 Utah Lions clubs, established the Utah Lions Eye Bank over 25 years ago and continues to work with them it conducting cornea transplants and promoting eye, organ and tissue donation. Lion members also work as couriers to deliver the needed corneas and eye tissue to the destinations.

While vision is a primary, ongoing focus, Lions clubs and members provide leadership in many other local needs and projects. Some examples include community recreational facilities and programs especially targeted for youth and seniors.

Anyone wishing more information may call Bill Barton at (801) 978-3363.