programs

Lions are an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 202 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world. 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 Homes of North Carolina is a non-profit, non-denominational home for children located at Lake Waccamaw, approximately 38 miles west of Wilmington and and 50 miles north of Myrtle Beach. 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 of North Carolina support Boys & Girls Home by providing financial assistance and volunteers. Some of the children stay in the Lion's Cottage, which is located on the campus.

The UN General Assembly passed a landmark resolution recognizing the diabetes epidemic as a global threat. 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 the association in 1984. The primary objective of the Lions program is to reduce the number of new cases of blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy through education, early detection and treatment, and support of research. Lions are especially encouraged to conduct awareness act-ivities in their communities throughout the year. Lions Diabetes Education month is celebrated in November.

Camp Dogwood is a recreational facility, serving the blind and visually impaired people of North Carolina. It offers blind and visually impaired persons an environment that is uniquely designed for their needs. The Camp is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Norman and is one of the finest facilities in the world. 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. Camp counselors serve as sighted guides, assists in the serving of meals and ensure that the campers have a week of fun and fellowship. In addition to counselors, four to six Lion volunteers and a full time professional staff manage the pro-grams, housekeeping, meals and the health needs of our campers. The average age of our campers is 59. We do offer one week for children/youth ages 8 - 17.

The North Carolina Lions have been involved in Clinical Eye Research for many years. Since 1990 we have successfully completed two projects: 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. The Center has opened in 1996. Its goal is to provide comprehensive medical care to diabetics and referral services for primary-care physicians treating diabetes. This setting is a particularly appealing model of care for such a group of patients with multiple health care needs. A patient can come to the center for a nutrition evaluation, wound care, and an eye exam all in one afternoon. Because diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Americans, convenience of eye care is paramount for these patients. 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. We work to ensure all patients with diabetes get regular eye exams and develop new and better therapies for patients who develop diabetic eye disease.

The North Carolina Lions offer multiple-year educational grants to sighted children 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 some 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.

Founded in 1845, The Governor Morehead School was the state's first school to serve students with special needs. It is the state’s only school that specializes in educational ser-vices 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 throughout the state. 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. Recreation Services offers a diverse choice of leisure and recreational activities, which nurtures personal development and social interaction. The activities are planned for pleasure and as creative outlets for the students. Students have opportunities to interact with others and to learn the value of service to the school and the community. In addition to serving on the school’s board, the Lions of North Carolina provide funding for the school’s athletic programs. The goal of the athletic program at the Governor Morehead School 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 com-petition 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. The athletic program at the Governor Morehead School allows for approximately 50% of the students age thirteen and above to participate in after school athletics. Presently the school offers wrestling, cheerleading, track and field, weight lifting, swimming, basketball, and goal ball.

Lions Services provides vocational rehabilitation and employment oppor-tunities to individuals who are blind or visually impaired and to provide eye care for those within our community who need financial assistance. We intend to provide these individuals with life long opportunities and choices that promote personal and economic independence for an en-hanced 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 em-ploy 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.

The Marjorie McCune Memorial Center is a licensed Adult Care Home owned and operated by the Lions of Western North Carolina. Located in Black Mountain, the center is nestled in the Swannanoa Valley in a country setting. The staff provides residents with quality care while encouraging inde-pendence. Many residents are no longer able to live alone or may need help from time to time. At the McCune Center they believe residents can enjoy life with dignity and it is our responsibility to provide it. For those who live at the McCune Center, life is simply an extension of their own lives. Originally intended to accommodate the visually impaired, the McCune Center has become home to any per-sons with disabilities or inabilities to manage everyday life on their own.

The North Carolina Lions Foundation is the education arm for the humanitar-ian acts of organ donation, procure-ment and transplantation of eye tissue. For many years Lions have been instrumental in obtaining eye wills. Thousands of individuals have had their sight restored with cornea transplants. Without the work of the Lions, tissue would not have been available for transplant.

The Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind is a private nonprofit rehabilitation facility. Since it was established on November 15, 1966, the Clinic has provided vocational evaluation, med-ical services, work adjustment train-ing and limited transitional employ-ment for persons who are blind or visually impaired throughout North Carolina. The Raleigh (Host) Lions Club sponsors the Clinic in co-operation with the Division of Ser-vices for the Blind, a state agency. The Clinic is located in Raleigh.

During the month of May, and throughout the year, Lions and Leos collect used eyeglasses for donation to Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers around the world. The used eye-glasses are cleaned and classified by prescription. Trained Lions volunteers and other organizations hosting optical missions in developing countries then distribute the glasses to people in need. Donate used prescription or nonprescription glasses or sunglasses. Children’s glasses are especially needed. Both plastic and metal frames are accepted. Take glasses to the nearest drop-off location in your community. Lions-sponsored collection boxes may be found at libraries, schools, community centers, places of worship, train stations, coffee shops, video stores, optometrists' offices or other high-traffic areas.