Remember those old Lions Club gumball machines? Many once were set up in lobbies and lunch rooms of local businesses. It may be time to think about dusting those off and setting them out again. The Canton Lions Club is back in business.
“We’ve just started this club up in the last couple of months,” said John Harmon of the newly-formed club. “Right now we’re a satellite of the West Peoria Lions Club. If we get more members, we could be a stand-alone Canton Lions Club.”
Harmon said Thursday he did not know if there were any plans to use gumball machines again, but a press release said members of the new Canton Lions Club have wasted no time getting started on a project Lions are well known for–collecting used eyeglasses. Although the program was officially adopted by the association in 1994, Lions have been collecting glasses for more than 80 years.
In 1925, Hellen Keller attended the Lions Clubs International Convention and challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” The Lions accepted her challenge and their work ever since has included sight programs aimed at preventing blindness, the press release said.
Vision errors can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, yet millions in developing nations lack access to basic eye care services. Lions have recognized the need for corrective lenses and continue to lend their support to the Lions Recycle for Sight Program. Locally, the Canton Lions Club will assist qualified applicants with eyeglasses, the press release said.
Canton Lions Club also will help others acquire hearing aids. Used hearing aids and glasses both are being recycled and provided to those who need them.
“We’re working for visual and hearing impairment. We’re more widely known for vision, but we also collect hearing aids for reuse, and some people have dropped hearing aids in collection boxes before,” Harmon said.
Applications for assistance are available by contacting Canton Lions Club Eyeglass Chairperson Nicole Friend at Heartland Healthcare, 2081 N. Main St., Canton, 647-6136.
Donated glasses and hearing aids can change someone’s life. They can help a child read, an adult succeed at a job, a senior maintain independence, and provide more opportunities for a community to grow and thrive.
Used glasses and hearings aids may be donated at American Grille Restaurant, Bard Optical, Bond Eye Associates, Brown’s Snappy Service, the Fulton County Rehabilitation Center on North Main Street, Heartland Healthcare, Progressive Vision Center, Sunset Manor, and Walmart.
The local Lions Club meets at noon on the first and third Monday of each month at Heartland Health Care Center, 2081 N. Main St., Canton. Due to the Labor Day holiday, the next meeting has been postponed until Monday, Sept. 10. Guests are welcome and new members are invited.
If interested in joining or visiting a club meeting, call Harmon at the main office of Fulton County Rehabilitation Center, 647-6510; club Eyeglasses Chairperson Nicole Friend at 647-6136; Denise Kirgan at the Cook Canton medical-device plant, 309-740-2342; or Barb Long at Fulton County Rural Transit, 309-357-5226.
Article source: http://www.cantondailyledger.com/topstories/x1733881283/Canton-Lions-Club-is-an-active-group-again