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.

Saturday May 1, 2010 the Lion’s Sight and Hearing Van, driven by Lion Ralph Thompson, arrived at the George Mason University campus.  Sight and hearing screenings were done in conjunction with a hearing expo held by the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons.  They had many state-of-the-art devices for assisting those with hearing loss.

Lions  arrived at 9 in the morning to set up and started taking customers around 10. During the course of the day, we screened over a dozen people for sight and hearing.  There was even one individual referred for additional screening and hearing tests.

 The Lion’s present to help with this were Lion Bill Trent, Lion Steve Haywood,  Lion Paew Haywood,  Lion Charlie Raper and Jackie Raper.  It was a pleasant sunny day and everyone had a great time.   Lunch was provided by the NVRC

With a full house of Lions and family, the new Board of Directors was inducted at the dinner meeting on June 15, 2010. PDG Bill Bartlett was our MC and had encouraging words for every position. Lion Gary Maxwell is our 2010-2011 King Lion.  He is a long-time Lion veteran of multiple clubs and has great leadership abilities which promise for an exciting year.  Our new Tail Twister, Lion Jay Kahn started the evening out with a bang.  Lion Suzanne Greenwalt was announced as the Lion of the Year and later appeared in the City of Fairfax Fourth of July Parade.  The new Board had it’s first meeting on June 27, 2010 and immediately started to brain storm about increasing membership.  

Lions Clubs across Virginia in conjunction with Lions of Virginia Foundation and Lions Club International Foundation have been working to support Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic’s Project: Construction “Sight”. Learn more about the History of Project Construction Sight here.