District 33Y Lions EyeMobile

Mission:

To carry out their mission of "We Serve," the Lions Clubs of District 33-Y of Western Massachusetts will purchase and operate an EyeMobile to provide a new level of service to their communities.

The EyeMobile will provide a vital service by facilitating the detection of:

• Eye disease, such as Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Macular Degeneration.
• Vision loss.
• Hearing loss.
• High Blood Pressure.

Purpose:  

The specially equipped mobile unit will travel to communities throughout Western Massachusetts, District 33-Y. It will provide free health screening for vision, glaucoma, hearing, diabetes, and blood pressure. Local Lions Clubs members and professional community health volunteers will staff the 33-Y Lions EyeMobile.

Lions Clubs all over the world are dedicated to help citizens preserve their vision and hearing. For the service oriented group such as the Lions, conducting health screenings is a very grassroots way that we can have a direct and positive impact on our citizens, especially the elderly and children.

History: 

In 1999, during his year as District Governor, Arthur "Art" Thomas sparked the idea and named Lions Clubs members of District 33Y to study the needs for a District EyeMobile. The other four districts comprising the Multiple District 33 of Massachusetts had purchased and are operating a mobile vision and hearing unit, mostly called "eyemobiles." District Governors Thomas Kowal and William Rathbun continued to encourage the district to consider purchasing an EyeMobile, naming then Vice District Governor Pamela Hodgkins and PDG Art Thomas as Co-Chairpersons of the Committee.

In 2001, District Governor Pam Hodgkins made the formal proposal to the voting cabinet and the new project to purchase an EyeMobile was adopted. During 2002, DG Pam and PDG Art held committee meetings and collated the data from their research across the state, and in April 2003, during District Governor Jean Martin's term of office, Officers and Directors for the EyeMobile were voted into office.

The corporation was formed as the Massachusetts Lions District 33Y EyeMobile, Inc., and received its 501(c)3 tax exempt status. During District Governor James Gracia's term of office, the corporation was officially registered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Winter 2005: Submitted a grant request to Lions Clubs International Foundation for a $75,000 matching grant.

July 2006: Our new Winnebago was delivered to Diamond RV in Hatfield.

March 18, 2007: First appearance of the EyeMobile in a parade, the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade, driven by EyeMobile President Art Thomas..

June 9, 2007: First use of the EyeMobile for screening at the Dalton American Legion. PDG Greg Prentice drove the unit to the Legion Hall and conducted training. In attendance were Dalton Lions Club President Andy Robert and Pittsfield Lions Club volunteers Candy, Don Adams, Sara Adams, Dave Diederich and Pat Hunt.

Current Status:

EyeMobile Trifold, in Microsoft Word: Click to Download

•  President:: PDG Bill Rathbun
  
• 1st Vice President: Greg Prentice
• 2nd Vice President: Ken Larkin
  
• Immediate Past President: PCC Art Thomas
• Corporation Clerk: ZC/PCST Bev Prentice
• Treasurer: PCT Dennis Waller
• Chairperson of Fund raising: PDG Pam Hodgkins
• Directors:
• DG Dennis Fountain
  
• VDG Donald Adams
• CST Jim Allen
• IPP Art Thomas 
• Regional Directors:
• Berkshire: Richard Laing, Alice Liebenow
• Franklin: David Shields, PDG Pam Hodgkins
  
• Hampden: Paul Schofield, PDG David Gervais
  
• Hampshire: Stan Zewski, Ron Pare'
  
• Advisory Board
  
• Madeline Richards
• Bob Richards

Contact the EyeMobile Board? Click Here

Credits: