Despite the early morning storms, it was a great day for a potluck picnic at the Izaak Walton league in Centreville, VA on Saturday Sept 12.  Bucky, with the Clifton Lions, camped out over night to smoke beef, pork, and chicken.  It was quite an impressive set up and we thank him for all of his work!  The food was delicious.

Lion Bucky Sills (Clifton Lions) prepared the food on his custom-made smoker

Don, Barb, and Ray Ballard, Suzanne and Mike Greenwalt, Marilyn Tanner and Chuck Higdon showed up early and got the site ready for the festivities.  No essentials were missing thanks to Gary Maxwell and his trip to BJs.

Lions, families, guests, and even a few potential new lions began arriving around noon with plenty to keep them busy until lunch was served.  There was a beautiful catch and release pond, bocce ball, horse shoes, and all the offerings of a shooting range.  Marilyn Tanner displayed her hard work on the new membership display complete with pictures, hand outs, and everyone’s favorite: Chocolate.

Lion Marilyn with membership display

Thanks to everyone who helped, organize, shop, set up, cleanup, and made the day great!

It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed since the announcement of the Prevent Blindness Grant. It is estimated that the team spent well over 3,400 man hours bringing the program to completion. The team faced a special challenge of contacting schools and implementing the program during the same time that school nurses were focused on H1N1 vaccinations and education. This was exacerbated by the severe winter weather and the remote locations of some schools.

Since the last update, two school which had previously declined the program have contacted PBMA to formally accept and schedule their training dates. Three new school systems have been completed and two systems have been scheduled. Three final school systems have still neither accepted nor declined and a letter has been sent about limited time remaining in the program for eligibility.

These are remarkable numbers considering the enormity of the project. Virginia has 36 school systems containing 285 schools and affect 40,690 students and family members.

The amazing PBMA team includes PCC Bill Bartlett, PCC Phil Schrack, CC Don Colley, PPLOVF Carolyn Messimer, PDG John Redden, PID Wayne Davis, Lion Jim Miller, Lion Bud Chambless, Director of Special Gifts Frank Carlomagno, PBMA President Tim Gresham, PBMA VP Robin Mead, Children’s Screening Associate Alison Markow, PBMA Director of Community Programs and Public Health Melissa Perry, Director of Special Projects Martha Telford, and LCIF Coordinator DG Dennis Brining.