Southington Lions Seek Members To Serve Kids And Community
- Philip Thibodeau
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The highlight for most community service organizations are the regular meetings and social outings where members forge ties of friendship. Like many local service groups, the Southington Lions club was hit hard by the COVID pandemic, which made it necessary to limit face-to-face contact. As opportunities for socializing diminished, so did membership.
But these days the local chapter, which is in its 84th year, is bouncing back, with 30 hard-working and dedicated members. Now, when the Lions hold their meetings at the Manor Inn on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, the tables are full and the conversation flows.
This rebirth is due in part to the resilience of the national organization, which has been around since 1914. But it is also due to the fact that the needs that Lions volunteer to take care of – especially vision screening for young children – never go away.
Helping People See
“When people think of the Lions Club, they tend to think of glasses,” said Larry Cohen, the current club president. “People see the collection boxes with our motto.”
Collection boxes for used eyeglasses (and hearing aids) can be found locally outside Southington’s Town Hall and in the parking lot in Plantsvilee next to Lion’s Den coffee. Each year the Southington club collects about 3,000 pairs of glasses. These donations are sent to state-level centers where specialists evaluate the frames and lenses and prepare them for use by new owners. They are then distributed for free to children and adults in need.
In addition to recycling glasses, the club also does vision screening for preschool and elementary school children. Each year about 2,500 boys and girls sit down with volunteers who perform the screening with the help of a device like the one shown in the photo above. The PlusOptix scanner does not provide a comprehensive eye exam, but can tell from the response of a child’s eyes to light and motion whether they need to be referred to a optometrist for further testing. About one in every 12 children who are screened gets a referral.
Southington Lions give nearly 300 volunteer hours each year to the screenings. The club also helps out when the families of referred children have financial need, providing enough funds to cover one eye-doctor visit and one pair of glasses.
Helping people see is a big part of what the Lions do. Yet they also perform other service work, organizing food drives, for example, for organizations like Southington Community Servcies and Bread for Life, frequently in partnership with Boy Scouts or STEPS volunteers. They assist grown-up students too, offering three $2,000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors.
The Yearly Auction
Residents can help the Lions Club help others by taking part in the upcoming charity auction. The Calendar House will play host to the auction this year, which will be held on Saturday, March 28 starting at 6:15pm. Attendees are advised to come early, since the room can only hold 175 people. Admission is free.
According to club member Lou Friedman, the items going up for bid this year range widely – “dinner gift cards, ski tickets, music shows, theater tickets, sporting event tickets, various gift baskets, and more.” All were donated by state and local businesses that support the Lions’ efforts.
Friedman said that this year, as in the past, there will be a ‘treasure chest’ as well. “This is a very popular feature. Participants can buy one or more keys, and if the key unlocks the treasure chest, they get what is in there. The value of the prize is up to $500.”
“This year we are also doing a special drawing for the generous members of the business community that donates auction items. This is a $250.00 cash prize for the lucky winner.”
“Help the Lions help others,” Friendman added. “Come to the auction, have some fun, and help the community. All the money raised goes back out in the form of charitable donations.”
“Refreshments will be provided. Hint: some of the best bakers in town are Lion’s members!”
