The school year will end soon, and area food banks face a critical shortage of food as they try to feed families in need with school-age children.

For several years, Fairfax Lions have collected shelf-safe food items and delivered the items to Food for Others (a local food bank). We’ll be doing that again this year.

Please bring non-perishable items to the Lions Club dinner meetings on either May 1 or May 15, 630pm, American Legion Post 177 (upper level), 3939 Oak Street, Fairfax, VA, 22030.  

Check the “Use BY” date on each item to make sure it’s current. As a guide, please see a list (below) of the most needed items. Other food items will also be accepted.

Food for Others most needed items include:

• Peanut Butter
• Canned meat (chicken, beef, turkey, or seafood)
• Rice (16oz bags)
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Canned fruit (packed in 100% fruit juice)
• Beans (dried or canned)
• Canned Stew or Chili
• Pasta and Pasta Sauce
• 100% Fruit Juice

Thank you; We Serve Our Community!

Lions receive equipment and instructions

Expertly organized by Lion Marilyn Tanner, the event opened with a group breakfast at First Watch.  We assembled at Thaiss Park, next to Pickett Road, where the team received safety vests, gloves, picker-uppers, and trash bags.

We concentrated on the wooded area east of Picket road where we found the heaviest concentration of rubbish.  It didn’t take long to make a lot of progress.  The Lions finished up in about 2 hours, with a lot of refuse to show for the effort.

It is a privilege to serve our community!

Fairfax Lions will offer free vision screening at the “Older Americans Month” Open House on Wednesday, May 2nd 2018.  Location:  City of Fairfax Senior Center, 4401 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA 22030.  Vision Screening is from 1130-1230.

Please join us!

On Friday, May 18th, the Red Cross is coming once again to Providence Presbyterian to collect blood. Please pass the word to your friends, and schedule an appointment for yourself to donate.  Go to this web link,

https://www.redcrossblood.org

Enter sponsor code:  Fairfax Host Lions, click on  Providence Presbyterian Church  to get schedule

We remember the many years Lion Elden Wright scheduled Red Cross blood drives at his church (Providence Presbyterian, 2720 Prosperity Ave, Fairfax VA 22031).   Those blood drives collected  well-over 3000 “good units” of life-giving blood for our community.  Thank you Elden for your service!

Delegate David Bulova spoke at the Fairfax Lions Club dinner meeting on April 3rd.  David represents Virginia’s 37th District in the House of Delegates. The 37th district includes the City of Fairfax, runs north to I-66, east to Pickett Road,  south to the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and west along I-66 to include parts of Centreville. See http://www.davidbulova.com/37th-district

Voters in the 37th district should be proud:  Delegate Bulova gave a wonderful talk, and appears genuinely concerned for both the interests of our district, and those of our state and nation. He gave a bit of Virginia government history (original representative government will celebrate its 400th anniversary next year), a quiz on the current government (he awarded prizes for first correct answers), actions in the most recent legislative session, and tips on effective advocacy at the state level.

David Bulova Speaks to Fairfax Lions Club

Delegate David Bulova closed saying, “your legislators want to hear from you,” and emphasized the best ways to do that are a face-to-face meeting or a personal letter/email.

The Fairfax Lions Club welcomes any person interested in helping those in need, and serving our community.  We meet monthly, first and third Tuesday’s from 6:30-8:30pm, in the upper level of the American Legion Post at 3939 Oak Street, Fairfax, VA, 22030.  For more info, send an email to:   fairfaxlions@cox.net

On March 12 and 13, Fairfax Lions used the portable SPOT vision screening system to check the vision of children in Fairfax United Methodist Church’s Pre-School.

Spot Vision Screening Camera

The Pre-school had arranged parental permissions ahead of time, so the actual screening process was fast – just about a minute with each child (and adult – we also screened adult school staff).  Screening youngsters goes very quickly anyway, as children’s eyes adjust rapidly to light conditions and the SPOT camera takes its measurements very fast.

Lion Mike Greeley Operates SPOT Camera Measuring this Pre-Schooler’s Vision

If Measurements were “Within Range,” we showed the child this report from the SPOT system

If was fun interacting with the children. And it was rewarding to be able to identify children whose screening results recommended a complete eye examination.

Sample Recommendation Provided to Pre-School Staff for Discussion with Parents

Results:  Over the 2 days, we screened 7 adults (no referrals) and 65 students age 3-6. Six of the 65 students screened (9%) were referred for follow-up care.

Fairfax Lions – WE SERVE!