Lions Celebrate Eye Screening Partnership with Middletown Schools
Monday, 08 February 2010 17:08
FROM VISION TO FRUITION: MIDDLETOWN LIONS CELEBRATE SUCCESSFUL EYE SCREENING PARTNERSHIP WITH MIDDLETOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT
MIDDLETOWN, NJ - Eight-hundred thirty five children from the Middletown School District – pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students – can rest assured that there is a group of dedicated, concerned volunteers who will always care about preserving their eyesight. Those caring individuals – sixteen in all - are members of the Lions Club of Middletown Township, which is part of Lions International. Preserving eyesight and preventing blindness is a major initiative of Lions International, the largest service organization in the world with over 1.2 million individual members in over 200 countries. The club recently honored the all-volunteer team for conducting a district-wide vision screening program, which was provided free-of-charge and is the first-of-its-kind. The partnership was coordinated with Superintendant of Schools Karen Bilbao and New Monmouth Elementary School Nurse Eileen Gavin, R.N., who were recognized for their participation and support during a ceremony on January 26. “I am the one who should be thanking all of you,” stated Bilbao, “because all of you did the work. I am amazed at your skill level and your kindness. Over 800 students have benefitted from your service – some with significant disabilities - and I understand the impact of vision problems on a developing child. What you have done is to help detect that early on, and I will never forget this honor.” Bilbao also commended Nurse Gavin for her coordination in each of the district’s elementary schools. “I do not even know how to thank you,” Bilbao said to Gavin. Gavin accepted the accolades with modesty and commended the Lions. “I saw you at work, and you were all great,” Gavin said. Bilbao and Gavin were named honorary members of the Lions Club.
Superintendant Bilbao also announced that on February 24, the Lion volunteers would be formally recognized by the Middletown Board of Education during their meeting at 7:30 p.m. in High School North Library. Members of the team, who had to undergo comprehensive training for several weeks prior to the program’s inception, are as follows: Lions Vision Screening Chairman Rich LaBarbera, Lion Jimmy Guerrieri, Lion Craig Finnegan, Lion Ray Veth, Lion Tony Hernandez, Lion Doug Scout, Lion Beverly Bova Scarano, Lion Bob Guijarro, Lion Tom Mahon, Lion Ron Finnegan, Lion Tom Guarino, Lion Lenny Inzerillo, Lion Linda Kramer, Lion Christine Scarano, Lion Ben Albala, and Lion Larry Caminiti.
The purpose of the program, according to LaBarbera, who also serves as L.E.E.D.S. vice-president, was to detect common eye ailments such as lazy eye, shaking eyes, and refractive errors like near-sightedness or far-sightedness. He noted that lazy eye is one of the leading causes of blindness in children, but can be corrected up to age eight. L.E.E.D.S. – Lions Eye, Ear, and Diabetes Screening – is a regional Lions organization that serves several counties in New Jersey by offering free health screenings. To date, over 700,000 children have been screened through the initiative, which began in 1999. L.E.E.D.S. provided the cameras for the district eye exams – Welch Allyn Suresight Vision Screeners – which took digital eye readings without physical contact. Problems were detected in some of the students, notably one child who had no vision at all in his left eye. “If not for the exam, the problem would have been undetected,” LaBarbera added. Results were transmitted directly to the South Jersey Eye Center, Camden, where they were evaluated by medical eye doctors.
LaBarbera was presented with a special leadership award from Lion President Beverly Bova Scarano, who praised his initiative and execution. Lion First Vice-President Jimmy Guerrieri also received a special award for his commitment of time. As she addressed both awardees, Bova Scarano stated, “The award is significant. It is an award of gratitude for your unselfish and tireless efforts to insure the success of the L.E.E.D.S. Vision Screening Program for the Middletown School System,” she added.
To ensure continuation and expansion of the vision screening program, the Lions will host a fundraising luncheon - “Vision for Children” - at Lakeside Manor, Hazlet, on April 18, 2010. Proceeds will be allocated toward the purchase of a Welch-Allyn Suresight Vision Screener, which costs approximately $5,000. Information on the Lions Club of Middletown, the L.E.E.D.S. Vision Screening Program, charitable initiatives, services, and future fundraising events is available by viewing the website www.mlions.org.
Photo 3781: The Lions Vision Screening “Dream” Team poses with an ‘expression of appreciation’ from the children they helped. Back row, left to right: Craig Finnegan, Tony Hernandez, Tom Guarino, Ray Veth, Ron Finnegan, Larry Caminiti (obscured), Chairman Rich LaBarbera, Bob Guijarro, Ben Albala, and Linda Kramer. Front row, left to right: Lion President Beverly Bova Scarano, Lion First V.P. Jimmy Guerrieri, Tom Mahon, Nurse Eileen Gavin, Superintendant Karen Bilbao, and Lenny Inzerillo. Not pictured: Doug Scott and Christine Scarano
Photo 3791: From left to right: Lion President Beverly Bova Scarano, Nurse Eileen Gavin, Lion First V.P. Jimmy Guerrieri, Superintendant Karen Bilbao, and Lion Vision Screening Chairman Rich LaBarbera take a moment to memorialize – and to celebrate - a monumental initiative.
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