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Vision Screening OfferedLensCrafters Vision VanLion Dale Strait – President LASH
The LensCrafters Vision Van Iris will be in Baltimore on Thursday and Friday, 20 and 21 October 2005.
LensCrafters is the largest commercial retailer of eyeglasses in the world.
In December 1995 LensCrafters Foundation launched its first 40-foot, full service vision van to deliver free eye
care to needy children across North America. A vision van includes an eye exam area, dispensary, and minilab.
The Foundation now fields two Vision Vans, “Seemore” and “Iris”. Each year these 40-foot vans travel to
approximately 80 North America cities delivering free eye care and new glasses to 15,000 disadvantaged
elementary and middle school children pre-selected by local agencies. LASH has selected the population to
be served and is coordinating the Baltimore visit.
The current plan is to bring the Iris van to the Greater Homewood Community area of Baltimore near Johns
Hopkins University Homewood campus. It will be parked at the Eastern High School campus of Johns
Hopkins on 33rd Avenue across from the old Memorial Stadium site. The van can handle 100 children a day.
LASH will coordinate vision screening children prior to the van’s visit to maximize the number of children that
will be receiving help. Children from the six elementary/middle schools in the Greater Homewood Community
will be served. Hours of operation of the van are 9 am to 5 pm each day. Children will be arriving shortly
before 9 am and will be waiting until 6 pm for their glasses.
LASH is working with the Greater Homewood Community Corporation to provide chaperones, refreshment,
transportation and DVD players and TVs; Shrine Clowns for entertainment; and Lions clubs for vision
screening, pre-school vision screening, and help during the vision van visit. Vision screening at the six
schools will be held the last two weeks of September.
This is a wonderful opportunity for Lions to help needy children. Fifty to 95% of the children in the Homewood
Community Schools qualify for free to reduced price school lunches.
Lions Dick Bloomquist, Nancy Burns, Shirley Greene, Don Rayment, and Rick Stefany provided adult vision screenings at the Severna Park Racketball and Fitness Center on Saturday, August 27, 2005 as part of the club’s annual community open house and health fair. Using TITMUS screening devices, the Lions were able to check the far and near vision for the patrons and, in some cases, suggest that further professional eye care be sought. . In addition to being a valuable vision screening service for our community it is also an excellent way to acquaint people with Lions Clubs and the Severn River Lions club in particular. Membership information was made available to those screened. This is the sixth year that the Severn River Lions Club has taken part in this service activity.
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