On Monday May 27, Lions had a strong presence in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC. Eighty Lions from Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware walked or rode in the parade. Ten clubs, including Fairfax, had banners in the parade. Miss America and Miss Teen America rode on the Lions’ float. Fairfax Lions Club was represented in the parade.
Fairfax Lions conducted vision screenings at The Lamb Center, May 13-14. We worked with 23 Guests of The Lamb Center, successfully screening the vision of 21, and referred 12 (57%) for a complete eye exam. 57% referral rate is one of the highest we’ve experienced. We suspect one Guest had cataracts and a considerable amount of damage in one eye. Several guests were in their 70s and one guest who was 81. The Fairfax Lions Club is proud to help others in our community with this vision screening service.
The end of the school year is fast approaching, and area food bank inventories will soon take a dip, as food-insecure families look for help in feeding their children during the summer months. Once again, Fairfax Lions Club stepped up to meet this community need.
At the Lions May 7th dinner meeting, many members generously responded to this need by digging into their personal home pantries and bringing shelf-safe food to the meeting. Food (canned chicken and tuna) was also purchased with the remaining Food Basket Delivery program account balance for this year. In total, Fairfax Lions delivered 144 pounds of nutritious food to Food for Others food bank on May 9.
We care – We serve!!
Fairfax Lions made our community more beautiful on Saturday, April 20, by picking up litter along our “Adopt-A-Spot” section of Pickett Road. With unpredictable weather that morning, we had breakfast at First Watch in the Fair City Mall. At 8:45, the sun was out so all said, “Let’s do it!” At the ball field, across from the intersection of Pickett Road & Old Pickett Road, we met other Lions and family. We handed out “grabbers,” safety vests, and plastic garbage bags, and went to work.
Mission complete: the entire job was finished by 11:30, including bagging up all trash in the large orange bags the City provided. Those bags were scheduled for pick up by 1:00 Saturday. All Done!!! Fairfax Lions – we serve our community!
On April 10th, the Fairfax Lions hosted – and supported – a Red Cross Blood Drive. The best reason to donate blood: every blood unit you give can save up to three lives. (Blood in processed by the Red Cross into 3 parts – plasma/platelets/red blood cells – each saving a life.)
Mark your calendars for the next blood drive: September 23rd!
The Fairfax Lions Club hosted the “James Bland Music Contest” on Sunday, March 31, in the Old Town Hall in Fairfax. Five vocal contestants and five instrumental contestants participated, representing Lions Clubs in there Northern VA area. Two vocalists and two instrumentalists were judged the winners and advance to the District 24-L James Bland Music Contest, on April 28. Winners there advance to State Finals, May 17, where the VA Association of Lions Clubs will award 12 scholarships totaling $18,000.
Photo: 1st Place Vocalist, Madeleine LeBeau of Chantilly HS, sings ll Bacio by Luigi Arditi to a packed house.
Fairfax Lions Club is one of the largest service organizations in Northern Virginia. Our members are from all walks of life, we give back to our community in many ways, and we have a good time doing it! We welcome you!