Fayetteville Lions ClubService Projects
Community Projects
Eye
exams and eyeglasses. This
is our 'flagship' project both in terms of its importance to our mission
and in terms of budget. We provide financial assistance paying the full
costs of standard eye exams and basic eyeglasses for Lincoln County
residents who meet our low-income criteria. An Application for
Eye-care Assistance may be picked up at the Fayetteville Municipal
Building, 110 Elk Ave S, Fayetteville (East side of the Square) or the Lincoln County Health
Department, 1000 Washington Street, Suite A. The application may
also be downloaded here in Adobe
pdf format. (English
Version) (Spanish
Version) Completed applications should be mailed to
Fayetteville Lions Club, P.O. Box 217, Fayetteville, TN 37334.
Note. The Lions Club requires qualifying applicants to apply for assistance through the Medicare or Medicaid program prior to receiving assistance from the Lions Club.
- Each year the club assists 90 to 100 (+) Lincoln County citizens in financial need with eye exams and eyeglasses
Low Vision "Sight Readers." In coordination with the Middle Tennessee Lions Sight Service (MTLSS) the Fayetteville Lions have provided 13 Low Vision Magnifying Reader devices on loan to Lincoln County residents. We also supplied one to the Fayetteville/Lincoln County Public Library.
Sight & Hearing Screenings. The Lions conduct sight and hearing screening in our local schools (over 2,000 students annually in grades K, 2, 4, 8 & Special Education) and health fairs. Screenings can also be conducted in local industries upon request.
In addition, we conduct 'Photoscreenings' of preschool children for eye disease, in a program coordinated with the Tennessee Lions Eye Center at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
Sight Preservation/Diabetes Awareness. The club provides publicity and awareness concerning eye health, including Diabetes and Glaucoma Awareness Campaigns.
Lions Clubs International has adopted diabetes awareness as a long-term commitment and November is Lions Diabetes Awareness Month worldwide. These statistics indicate why. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 371 million people worldwide have diabetes, a global epidemic that is expected to affect 552 million by 2030. The American Diabetes Association reports that in 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes. The trend is up - in 2010 the figures were 25.8 million and 8.3%. Of the 29.1 million with diabetes, 8.1 million were undiagnosed.
People with diabetes are at risk of losing sight due to diabetic retinopathy. It is the leading cause of vision loss in adults of working age (20 to 65 years) in industrialized countries. 74% of people who have diabetes for 10 years or more will develop some form of diabetic retinopathy. All people with diabetes-both Type 1 and Type 2--are at risk. That's why everyone with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
For more information visit the American
Diabetes Association website or Lions
International Diabetes Partner website:
Eyeglasses
Recycling. Lions
collect used eye glasses and hearing aids. to make them available to
people in developing countries. The used eyeglasses are cleaned and
classified by prescription. The eyeglasses are then distributed to those
in need by Lion volunteers and other organizations hosting optical
missions in developing countries. We have bright yellow collection
'mailboxes at the Fayetteville/Lincoln County Senior Citizens Center, Holt's IGA, and the Fayetteville/Lincoln
County Recycle Center. We also have smaller collection boxes inside
Carter's Drug Store, Donalson Care Center, the Lincoln County Mayor's
Office in the Courthouse, as well as local schools.
Scholarships. The
Fayetteville Lions awards 2 to 3 annual scholarships in amounts of
$1,000 to $1,500.Scholarship disbursements are paid directly to the recipient’s selected educational institution. The scholarships are targeted to graduating high school
seniors. Applications may be obtained from and returned to the Lincoln
County High School Guidance Office. They are accepted regardless of sex,
race, color, religion, or national origin. We have two scholarship
programs.
Our Era P. Jones Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors planning to enter an accredited university, college or technical school. Award is based on, character, need, activities and other awards received. Applicant must have a four-year GPA of 2.50 or better. Preference is given to any son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter of a Fayetteville Lions Club member in good standing; then to any member of the LEO Club sponsored by the Fayetteville Lions Club. Applications are due to the LCHS Guidance Office on April 10th. A committee of the Lions Club makes the selection.
Our Academic Scholarship applicants must meet these these qualifications: have at least a 2.5 GPA, completed either the ACT or SAT, and applied for admission to and been accepted to an accredited college or university. The Academic Scholarship application must include two recommendations from persons not related to the applicant and is due to the LCHS Guidance Office on March 31st. A committee of the Lions Club makes the final selection.
Our Point of Contact is Ricky Kimbrough, Scholarships Chair, (931) 433-8284.
Football Jamboree.
Every August our club hosts a Football Jamboree for local 7th to 9th
grade schools. The Jamboree serves as a pre-season competition before
the schools regular conference schedules. The games are played at the
Lincoln County High School Falcon Stadium with the first game starting
at 5PM. We generally have 6 teams entered in the 7th & 8th grade level
and 4 teams in the 9th grade level.
Tickets are sold at each school or may be purchased at the gate. Participating players and coaches are waived from the gate fee. Concessions are available.
Basketball Tournament.
Over a 9-day period later each fall, our club hosts a Basketball
Classic for local 7th and 8th grade schools, with scrimmage competition in both
Boys and Girls categories. The games are played at the Ninth Grade
Academy, 900 South Main. The dates and times are announced each year,
with the schedule depending on that year’s participating teams. We
generally have approximately 10 boys and 12 girls teams compete.
Tickets are sold at the gate. Participating players and coaches are waived from the gate fee. Concessions are available.
LEO
Club Sponsorship. We currently sponsor and support two Leo
Clubs , the ones at Fayetteville High School and
Lincoln County High School. However we
stand ready to support any new Leo Clubs that decide to organize in our
local High School and Junior High/Middle Schools. Community service
remains the cornerstone of the program. Like their Lion counterparts,
Leo club members enjoy serving their neighbors and watching positive
results unfold.
Drug
Abuse Awareness/Essay Contest. Our club sponsors an Annual Drug Essay Contest
in all County and City schools with students in grades 6 through 12. This is part of a Lions
District Contest; they provide the required theme each year. The
Fayetteville Lions provide specific rules and deadlines to each school’s
Administrator/Counselor/Rep in September. Essays are due in Novenber and are
judged by the Club’s Drug Essay Committee. We select a winner from each
school; that student receives a cash award and recognition at a Lions Club
Meeting where they read their essay.
Two winning essays from Fayetteville, one for grades 6-8 and the other grades 9-12, are also forwarded to the Lion District where they compete with entries from all 40 other District Lions Clubs. Three are selected for additional larger Savings Bond awards. Our local entrants have been very successful in recent years in winning one of the places at the District level.
Peace Poster Contest.
Our club sponsors an Annual Peace Poster Contest available to students
of ages 11, 12 and 13 in our local schools, including home schooling.
This is part of a Lions International Contest; they provide the required
theme each year. The Fayetteville Lions provide poster kits, specific
rules and deadlines to each school’s Administrator/Counselor/Rep in
October. Posters are due in early November and are judged by the Club’s
Peace Poster Committee. We select one winner for each school; that student receives a cash award and
recognition at a Lions Club Meeting.
The winning posters from Fayetteville are forwarded to the Lion District where they compete with entries from all 43 other District Lions Clubs. The top three are selected for a District Award Savings Bond and forwarded on to the Lions Multiple District and International competition. You can read more about the Peace Poster Program and view a video.
Boy's and Girl's State. The Fayetteville Lions sponsor one entrant each to Tennessee Boy’s State and Girl’s State, sponsored by the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary. Boys and Girls State are among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for high school students. It is a participatory program where each participant becomes a part of the operation of his local, county and state government.
Sports
Complex Upgrades. The
club had an ongoing arrangement with the City of Fayetteville for
maintenance and upgrade of the Don Davidson/Lions Club Complex off Wilson Parkway. The
Lions paid half of the original construction costs as well as ongoing
improvements such as new scoreboards via an annual payout
plan. We have currently completed those obligations.
Adopt-A-Highway. The Fayetteville Lions have adopted the first two miles of US 64 East (Winchester Highway) starting past the intersection of Thornton Taylor Parkway. [photo] We hold a cleanup event Quarterly. For more info on the state Adopt-A-Highway Program, click here. To view a mandatory participant safety and training video, click here.
Bingo at the Senior Citizen's Center. The Fayetteville Lions sponsor Bingo at the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Senior Citizens Center one Thursday each month. We provide prizes for the winners and assist with calling the numbers, checking cards and distributing the prizes.
Additional Projects. Each year, the Lions consider the needs of the community and vote to support one or more special one-time projects within our current budget constraints. In recent years these have included: construction of the Entertainment Stage at Stone Bridge Park, construction of a picnic pavilion at Kid's Park, purchase of end-wall padding for the 9th Grade Academy Gymnasium, purchase of a low vision reading magnifier for the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Public Library, and purchase of video recording equipment for the Child Advocacy Center, Junior's House.
State and International Projects
Middle Tennessee Lions White Cane. This umbrella project supports a wide number of invaluable Lions Projects related to Sight Preservation and support for the sightless. The club donates over $2,000 to this Project annually.
- Tennessee Lions Charities. Coordination of the Tennessee Lions Eye Center at Vanderbilt and funds Kids Sight Outreach (the Digital "photo" Screening programs for pre-school age children)
- Middle Tennessee Lions Sight Service. Providing diagnosis and eye surgery for those in financial need; provides low vision devices.
- Tennessee School for the Blind. Lions support student work programs, Christmas Gifts, a low vision clinic; located in Nashville
- Tennessee School for the Deaf. Students are equipped academically, vocationally, physically, emotionally and morally to meet the daily challenges of adult life; located in Knoxville
- Learning Ally. A National Partner Org, supplies recorded textbooks, large print books & educational materials to blind and dyslexic; also educational outreach programs to 150 schools/colleges in Tennessee; volunteer from home opportunities
- World Services for the Blind. Vocational training and rehabilitation for blind adults; located in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Leader Dog. Located in Rochester, Michigan, trains Guide Dogs at no cost gives mobility to blind people
- Hearing Aid Assistance. Lions provide hearing aids to people with hearing disabilities
- Drug Essay Contest. Encourages students to think of how drugs will destroy their lives; funds District level awards
- Peace Poster Contest. Encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace; funds District level awards in this Lions International contest
- Childhood Cancer Research and/or Treatment. Help, aid, and assist the kids and their families during their difficult journey fighting cancer.
Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). Lions Clubs International Foundation is Lions helping Lions serve the world. Donations provide funding in the form of grants to financially assist Lions districts with large-scale humanitarian projects that are too extensive for Lions to finance on their own. The Foundation aids Lions in making a greater impact in their local communities, as well as around the world. Grants provide both immediate assistance following natural disasters and long-term disaster relief for reconstruction efforts. Grants help preserve sight, combat disability, promote health or serve youth.
Every dollar donated to LCIF goes toward a grant. Since LCIF began in 1968, it has awarded over 14,700 grants totaling US$1.1 billion. Click on the LCIF graphic above to learn more.