Partner Spotlight: Bend/Sunrise Lions Club

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Did you know that Lions Club International is the largest service organization in the world? With almost 1.4 million members in 200 countries, Lions Club International is over 100 years old! The Lions motto "We serve" describes their work beautifully - Lions show up for their communities in the ways that are needed. They like to say "yes, we can help!". We LOVE this, and Bend-Sunrise Lions has shown up for the Bend community with their Sight and Hearing Program for many years...until recently.

Bend-Sunrise Lions Club serves the Bend area, but since 2020 membership and sponsorship has declined dramatically. 2020 and the years that followed were hard in many ways, and that included service organizations losing membership and support.

Thrive Advocates regularly referred to the Lions Club for their Eyeglass Assistance Program, which provided free eye exams and glasses to those with low or no income. The process was seamless and filled a huge gap in services in our community. Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) does not cover the cost of glasses for adults, and Medicare does not cover routine eye exams or glasses.

Those that we work with in need of vision assistance would complete a simple Lions Club application with our Advocates that would include providing proof of income. We would then send the application off to Russ Chase, Club President, Treasurer, and Sight and Hearing Chair, and he would connect the individual with an optometrist to schedule an appointment. If the individual already had a current prescription and just needed glasses, they could coordinate that too. It was fantastic.

I recently chatted with Russ about the club's dwindling attendance and difficulty finding local business sponsors. He shared with me the many ways the Bend/Sunrise Lions Club has worked in the community over the past 50+ years, and some of the stories are truly incredible. In addition to the Eyeglass Assistance Program, they also worked to provide free vision screenings to school children, and (especially in recent years) have collected used glasses for donation. Because current membership is so low (only 2 members that attend meetings!) they aren't able to put on the big fundraisers they used to: the Demolition Derby and the 4th of July Pancake Breakfast in Drake Park. The Demolition Derby was in it's 49th year when the pandemic hit - meaning they never hit the 50th anniversary!

So, if you're looking for a tactile way to support your community, a way to meet new people that care about others - this is us telling you to join or financially support the Lions! Selfishly, we wou

ld love to see the Eyeglass Assistance Program up and running again. Not selfishly, we would also love to know that those in our community are willing to get in and help by becoming a Lion or Leo. We'd also LOVE to go to a Demolition Derby again. 🛻💥

See below for details, or email us (britta@thrivecentraloregon.org)

Bend/Sunrise Lions Club Details:

• One-time initiation fee $35

• Annual dues $90

• Meetings: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays @ 12pm - Jake's Diner, Bend

• Want more info or to join? You're welcome to come to a meeting at Jake's or email Russ: chaseruss@bendbroadband.com