4th Quarter President’s Message

It is spring and what a glorious spring it has been. Hope you all are enjoying the luscious rain that makes the flowers bloom. It is so hard to believe, the year is just about over as River Hill Lions Club President. This is my last president’s message. It has been a blast and thank you one and all for the enormous support throughout the year. Your new Board of Directors has been selected. Look for the nominees elsewhere in this issue of FOCUS

We had a very informative Mid-Winter Conference where we met “Everyday Heroes” such as yourselves. There will be a video of 32D’s Every Day Heroes at the March and April breakfast meetings. Take a look and see if you recognize any of them.

We have presented some of our charities checks. Storm Eye sent a plea; they needed $6,438 to make their funding goal. By donating, SC State Lottery matched funds. Our donation of $4,000 made it possible for Storm Eye to reach their goal.

Our partnership with Storm Eye has been a God-send for two of our Clover Area Assistance Center clients this year alone. One was a young teenager whose grades failed quite quickly last year. In looking for where the problem might be, it was discovered he had a rare eye problem which his insurance would not cover. In talking with Storm Eye coordinator, Toni Mc Hugh and SC Lions District Governor, Barbara Beckham, we decided to try to get him seen by specialist there. We have first hand knowledge, (Frank is his mentor in the school), the child is ecstatic he will be able to see once his prescription is filled. Bill Burgin is working with Dr. Poole to get this done.

Another patient is yet to be seen but is truly grateful for our intervention. She is a lady whose right eye has quickly started to protrude from the eye socket. Local medical doctors have done all they could and Dr. Poole has suggested further study with an ophthalmologist. We are in the process of getting her seen by specialists at Storm Eye.

SC Lions Charitable Services was looking at cutting services due to lack of funding. Most of their funding comes from Candy Day sales. River Hills Lions Club has opted not to go out and sell candy in the community; however, we raise monies in other ways to give to SC Charitable Services. We handed Lion Gregg Turner a check for $7,500 at the conference. This will help keep them afloat for a while. SCLCS runs the Health Services Unit (HSU) which goes to the schools to do the vision and hearing acuity testing. River Hill Lions Club has booked the unit for Wednesday and Thursday; September 2nd and 3rd. Please let me know if you can volunteer for any shift. We would like at least 4 people (2 each day) who would like to work the entire day.

We also were able to award a check for $5,000 to Sight First II chair, Lion Eddie Marshall. River Hill’s Lions Club committed to $15,000 when Lion Bob Daily was president. We still have $4,000 for next year to meet our commitment.

Please remember to get those letters out there for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Didn’t get your packs? Just ask Lion Sandy Decker or Lion Dona Van Leer…we will be more than happy to get some to you. Last year, River Hill Lions Club raised over $14,000. Please let’s do it again. A cure is so close.

Thank you all so much for all you do to raise the funds for our charities budget. You are all River Hills Lions Every Day Heroes.

Yours in Lionism:
Dona