The Fairfax Lions Club offered a special program at their dinner meeting on July 17th.  The speaker was Dr Matthew Levy, who Chairs the STB Coalition, is on the staff at Johns Hopkins and is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine.  We learned that 35% of pre-hospitalization deaths occur due to bleeding-out, and the need for bystanders to ACT QUICKLY to stop bleeding.  We learned about putting pressure on the wound, applying tourniquets, and “packing a wound” with gauze treated with a hemostatic agent.   Matthew urged all to:  Get Kits (first aid kits with materials to stop bleeding), Get Trained, and Get Involved. We saw a short training video.  Read more about STB Coalition https://stopthebleedingcoalition.org/

Lions Club President Karen Presents Speakers Gift to Dr Matthew Levy

The Fairfax Lions Club recognized Elden Wright for his many contributions over 35 years as a Lion.  Lions Club President Marty Lockard presented a check for $1500 to the Virginia Lions Eye Institute (VLEI) for a scholarship grant in special recognition of Elden Wright’s lengthy and dedicated service to VLEI.

Elden Wright (Ctr) accepts check to go to Woody Woodward (Rt) the President of VLEI

VLEI President Woody Woodward presented Elden Wright, who is the Past President of VLEI, a Progressive Humanitarian Recognition Certificate.

Progressive Humanitarian Recognition Certificate

Fairfax Lions also presented Elden a special citation of his many accomplishments as a Lion.  He planned and led many local service projects.  Among them are community blood drives resulting in over 3300 units of life-saving blood for the Red Cross, and eyeglass dispensing for needy persons for which he managed charity funds, qualified individuals needing vision correction, and coordinated the provision of 50 or more pair of eyeglasses each year.  As President and Chief Executive of the VLEI, which is co-sponsored by Lions Clubs and the Inova Health System, Elden coordinated free eye care for needy patients with the Inova Cares Lions Eye Clinic. He managed funding for continuing medical education for nurses and para-professionals, equipment purchases for local not-for-profit hospitals, scholarship awards to sight handicapped individuals, clinical research, and rehabilitation of visually impaired individuals through low vision evaluations and use of low vision aids.  Elden led significant charity fund raising activities over the years, enabling the Lions Club to complete its mission of service to needy people in the community.  He led the annual Citrus Fruit Sales, and his personal commitment assured successful sales raising nearly three-quarters of all Fairfax Lions charity resources.  Elden also managed multi-grill cooking operations for two Lions Club food sales each year (July 4, Fall Festival).  He transported the grills, provided specialty equipment, assured compliance with food safety standards, and personally cooked for one-half of all grill operations.  Elden was Fairfax Lions Club President and in 2016 was named “Lion-of-the-Year.”  A genuinely dedicated servant of his fellow man, Elden Wright’s actions exemplify the Lions’ motto of “We Serve.”

Elden Wright

Fairfax Lions performed free vision screening at the “Older Americans Month” Open House in Fairfax City’s Senior Center on May 2nd 2018.

The screening featured a discussion of the “SPOT” camera system we use, and the usefulness of the screen results. We screened 10 individuals, and referred one for a complete eye examination.

Lions President Discusses Screening Process

Reviewing Screening Results

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!