White Cane Day raises awareness, donations
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Lions Club members accepted donations and raised awareness of vision and hearing impairment on White Cane Day Friday.
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Lions Club raised awareness about blindness and collected donations for its efforts to help the vision- and hearing-impaired at the club’s White Cane Day fundraiser Friday.
Money raised through the White Cane fundraiser goes to support people with vision and hearing challenges, partly through the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing. “We do this every year,” said Lions member Susan Hickok.
The Lions members were handing out canes with or without donations. “Just if they wear it, we’re happy,” Hickok said.
The foundation helps support the Lions Health Screening Unit, which is coming to Moses Lake in July. It also supports the Lions “patient care program.”
The patient care program helps people with vision or hearing challenges who can’t afford special equipment or medical procedures, allowing people to get help at a reduced cost or no cost. The foundation matches the funds raised by local Lions chapters and other fundraisers for vision and hearing-related expenses. Funds “cover everything from seeing-eye dogs to braille readers to a prosthetic eye,” according to information from the Moses Lake Lions.
The local Lions chapter was founded in 1941; “we’re 75 years in Moses Lake,” said Colleen Halgren, a Lions member manning the White Cane Day stand.
The club is a sponsor and supporter of local youth, from the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts to the community Easter egg hunt. Lions members collect and recycle used eyeglasses, arrange for free eye exams and glasses, hearing exams and hearing aids. The Lions also are among the supporters of the Moses Lake Food Bank. The club has a number of other community projects.
Member dues pay all the expenses of running the club, the Lions press release said. All money generated through fundraisers goes to support the service projects and community activities.
The Health Screening Unit visits communities throughout the state and is staffed by medical professionals, local Lions Club members and volunteers. The screening panel checks vision and hearing, as well as checking blood pressure and for diabetes and glaucoma. All screenings are offered free of charge.
The Lions screening unit will be in town July 17 and 18, parked at the Moses Lake Senior Center, 608 East Third Ave. People who want more information or to volunteer can contact Lions member Sue Hodges, 509-760-7886.