Thanks to Chairman Jeffrey C McKay, for these reminders…

Use this link for early voting locations: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/early-voting

VA is the first state to implement a free COVID-19 exposure notification app. The app is called COVIDWISE; it was developed in a partnership between VA Department of Health, Google, and Apple.  COVIDWISE allows your smart phone to anonymously notify others if you have tested positive for COVID-19, and notifies you if you’ve likely been exposed to the virus based on anonymous reports from other app users.

The goal is to reduce risk for your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues.  But, it only works if most people use it. Here’s how you can:

1. Visit the App Store or Google Play Store and download COVIDWISE
2. Share information about COVIDWISE with friends, colleagues, and family
3. Post & share your support on social media

The “Center for Voter Information” recently (early August 2020) mailed absentee ballot applications to many Fairfax County residents. That “Center” is an independent organization unaffiliated with the City of Fairfax or Fairfax County. 

The form they sent is a valid form to request a by-mail ballot in VA.

But the return mail envelope they sent (pre-addressed, no postage req’d envelope) may have an INCORRECT ADDRESS where voters should mail their application.

It may be better for voters to apply for absentee ballots on-line at: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

At the above web page, you can Register to vote, update your current VA voter registration, apply to vote absentee by mail, or view your polling place/election district/absentee ballot status/voting history.

The DEADLINE to apply for Absentee Ballot by mail is Oct 23, 2020. APPLY NOW, AVOID THE RUSH.

 During this virus shutdown period, about the only recurring service activity we still have in process is our eyeglass recycling. We collect donated eyeglasses, provide them to a Lions Recycling Center where they are processed and provided to mission teams to dispense around the world. 

But, even that is curtailed.  The new Lions recycling center for performing the actual processing of the eyeglasses remains closed to volunteer workers.

Our club still picks-up donated eyeglasses (and the occasional hearing aids) from our collection boxes around the community, and delivers them to the recycling center.  

At some point, the center will open and we can again show-up to offer our services to characterize eyeglasses for sorting, boxing, and delivery by medical mission teams.

Our most recent report from the Club’s Eyeglass Recycling Committee states, for the past year (July 2019 – June 2020) we collected 10,138 pair of donated eyeglasses, and delivered them to the recycling center.

The National Memorial Day Parade was to be held in Washington DC, May 26, 2020. But the health situation forced cancelation.

The link below is a video replay of the entire parade from 2019. You can see representatives of several Lions Club marching, starting at minute 49:21 in the video, and also an ad for Lions Clubs at 1:11:40.

https://vimeo.com/americanveteranscenter/review/418601975/3d8e3e497b 

Fairfax Lions Club received a thank you note for our recent $1000 donation to Virginia Lions Eye Institute Foundation (VLEIF).

This donation supports:

1. The INOVA Lions Eye Clinic in Fairfax Hospital: it performs 4200 examinations and 250 free eye surgeries in a typical year.
2. Joe Lipomi Memorial Scholastic Grants: in 2018, Scholastic Grants totaling $60,000 went to 23 visually challenged students.
3. The Low Vision Learning Center in Alexandria,VA: it serves individuals with chronic vision loss, that cannot be improved with conventional glasses or contact lenses. VLEIF provides equipment to examine patients, and visual aids for rehabilitation.

The donation helps those in need in our community, and it is possible only because our community supports our Lions Club charity fund raisers. You have enabled our service mission for 70 years; we thank you!