Known for working to end preventable blindness, Lions participate in a vast variety of projects important to their communities. These projects range from cleaning up local parks to providing supplies to victims of natural disasters. Beginning in 1917, the association of Lions clubs has provided millions of people with the opportunity to give something back to their communities.

Boys & Girls Home

Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina is a non-profit, non-denominational home for children located at Lake Waccamaw. They provide out-of-home child care for at-risk children in residential care, family foster care and adoption. The program of care includes educational, social, and spiritual development. Boys & Girls Homes is a member of the Children and Family Services. The Lions support Boys & Girls Home with financial assist-ance and volunteers. Some of the child-ren stay in the Lion’s Cottage, which is located on the campus.

Camp Dogwood

Camp Dogwood is a recreational facility, serving the blind and visually impaired people of North Carolina. The Camp is located on the shores of Lake Norman. The North Carolina Lions own, fund and maintain the camp. Camp Dogwood provides a camping program during the summer typically with twelve one-week sessions. It is recreational-vacation experience utilizing the waterfront for boating, swimming, fishing, skiing, and tubing along with activities in arts and crafts, evening activities.

Educational Grants

The North Carolina Lions offer multiple year educational grants to sighted child-ren of blind or visually impaired parent. Grants are awarded based on the economic need of the family and the scholastic record and character of the applicant. Grants are available through the North Carolina Lions Foundation, districts and local Lions clubs. Checks are payable to the college designated by the recipient. Checks will be applied to the recipient’s college expenses. No funding is available for studies beyond a Bachelors Degree.

Diabetes Awareness

It is estimated that more than 230 million people have diabetes. This number is expected to rise to a staggering 350 million by 2025. People with diabetes are at risk of losing sight due to diabetic retinopathy, which affects the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that transmits visual messages via the optic nerve to the brain. When this delicate tissue is damaged by diabetic retinopathy, the result may be visual impairment or blindness. Diabetes awareness was adopted as a long-term commitment of Lions Clubs in 1984. The primary objective of the Lions program is to reduce the number of new cases of blindness caused by diabetic retino-pathy through education, early detection and treatment, and support of research.

Clinical Eye Research

The Lions have been involved in Clinical Eye Research for years. The Lions have partnered with the North Carolina Lions Clinical Eye Research Center at Bowman Gray and the North Carolina Lions Pediatric Eye Care Center at Duke Medical Center. More than $1 million dollars was raised by Lions in support of these projects. Our current project is the NC Lions Diabetic Eye Clinic at the University of North Carolina Healthcare Diabetes Center, which opened in 1996. Because diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Americans, convenience of eye care is paramount. Early detection of eye disease can have a significant impact on prevention of blindness. The eye is also an important organ to examine in the context of clinical studies.

Vision Van

The North Carolina Lions Foundation offers a vision screening van that travels across the North Carolina conducting vision screenings. Sponsored by local Lions clubs and staffed with volunteers, the vision van can the first line in the detection of vision problems. There is no charge to have your eyes examined.

Governor Morehead School

Founded in 1845, the Governor Morehead School is the state’s only school that specializes in educational services for children with visual impairments, birth through age 21. In addition to the school’s traditional K-12 program, preschool and outreach services are offered to children with visual impairments. The school is part of the Office of Education Services of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The school is located in Raleigh. In addition to serving on the school’s board, the Lions provide funding for the school’s athletic programs. The goal of the athletic program is to allow our students to participate in sports and other recreation and leisure activities with the same opportunities as any other student in public or private schools while providing a healthy and safe environment. To allow competition with other visually impaired and sighted students from different schools and states, our school participates in the Eastern Athletic Association for the Blind. They believe athletics enriches student’s skills in the areas of sportsmanship, communication, socialization and self-discipline. Presently the school offers wrestling, cheerleading, track and field, weight lifting, swimming, basketball, and goal ball.

Lions Services, Incorporated

Lions Services provides vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities to individuals who are blind or visually impaired and to provide eye care for those within the community who need financial assistance. LSI intends to provide individuals with life long opportunities and choices that promote personal and economic independence for an enhanced quality of life, while respecting their dignity and right of self-determination. The company began operations in 1935 and the following year it was established as the Charlotte Workshop for the Blind by the Charlotte Central Lions Club. In 1975, the company was incorporated as a nonprofit textile manufacturer to employ people who are blind and became known as Lions Services, Inc. Since its founding, Lions Services continues to expand its scope of products and services. From a small chair caning facility, the agency has evolved into a manufacturer of products for the Department of Defense. Lions Services is owned by the Lions of Mecklenburg County.