By Sue Moore
Part of our mission is sight related, explained Doug Stafinski, the chairperson of the Summer Festival. “We provide glasses, screening and pay for exams for children in the Vicksburg School District who can’t afford this service.”
Dr. Maria Davenport has been a big help as she does the work for half price so we can afford to help more children, Stafinski said.
The Leader Dogs for the Blind and the Mid-West Eye Bank also receive the Vicksburg club’s support along with Lions International and the District charities that are sight related.
The club also splits the cost with Rotary for the Honors Banquet in May for the many seniors who receive recognition on this particular evening. We offer two $1,000 scholarships.
Last year the club donated $5,000 toward the building of the pavilion that will be built in 2013 and pledged another $5,000 this year.
Monies have also been appropriated for rocket football and little league, and this year, $500 has been designated to purchase defibrillators in the three elementary schools.
Many other community service projects are part of being a Lions Club member. Katie Grossman chairs the village clean-up in the spring. In 2013 this included painting inside at Sunset Lake Elementary School, putting a fresh layer of sand down on the Sunset Lake beach that the club has maintained as a large project throughout the 59 years of its existence