LION CHARITIES

LIONS EYE BANK OF TEXAS

6565 FANNIN, SUITE NC-205
HOUSTON, TX 77030
713-798-5500

The Lions Eye Bank of Texas provides sight-restoring corneal tissue. The eye bank is located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston with branches in Port Arthur and Corpus Christi. The Lions Eye Bank of Texas is supported by the Lions of District 2-S2 and by Lions of Districts 2-A3, 2-S1 and 2-S4. The success of this eye bank is demonstrated by the fact that no one who needs a cornea in any of the four Lions districts it serves ever has to wait for a cornea. Furthermore, continuing Lions' support assures that anyone who needs a cornea will have one, regardless of the person's financial situation.

Lions Eye Bank of Texas

Texas Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center
200 Plaza Street
Midland, TX 79701
Contacts: Lion Denisa Marston, MD 2 Coordinator
e-mail: demarst@attglobal.net
Phone: (915) 683-3611
Lion George Miles, Operations Manager
PDG Ike Fitzgerald, C.E.O.
Phone: (915) 682-7074
Fax: (915) 699-6233
e-mail: eyeglassike@juno.com

Texas Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center - Each year, the Texas Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center supplies 60-80 missions sponsored by church groups, physicians and other organizations with used eyeglasses. The center also supplies eyeglasses for permanent distribution centers in the Republic of Ghana, Nigeria and Brazil. The center organizes optical training teams composed of Lions, doctors and opticians to work with Lions of multiple districts in developing countries. TLERC has the following training programs in place and available:

How to create and operate an optical clinic with used eyeglasses;
How to create and operate a new and used eyeglass distribution center;
How to create and operate a finishing lab;
Photo-screening;
Low vision

To date, Lions in the following countries have received training: US, Guyana, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras.
Currently, the center is working with Chevron to set up a permanent Lions eyeglass distribution facility in The Republic of Congo. In addition, the center also procures new and used optical and surgical equipment for use by various mission groups.

Number of eyeglasses collected in 2001-02: 1,140,000
Number of eyeglasses distributed in 2001-02: 618,911

Lions Clubs International Foundation

Lions throughout the world join together in supporting the
Lions Clubs International Foundation. LCIF provides funds for relief from disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods with such relief administered by the local Lions District LCIF also provides funds to aid in the construction of hospitals, clinics, schools and other humanitarian projects that are beyond the means of the local club and its community. LCIF funded the development of the school curricula known as
"Lions Quest Skills for Growing"
and
"Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence"
These curricula provide elementary and intermediate school children with study programs to teach children proper decision making skills and how to improve relationships with parents, teachers, other adults and their peers. The aim of these programs is to point children toward a wholesome, productive lifestyle and away from drugs.
Lions District 2-S2 has its own Lions Quest program to assist local schools and Lions Clubs in obtaining training for teachers of Lions Quest Skills for Growing and Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence.
The Lions SightFirst Lions Conquering Blindness is a program coordinated through LCIF. SightFirst, which was initiated In 1990, is dedicated to eliminating preventable and correctable blindness throughout the world. There are 40 million blind people in the world,
and 80% of these are blind because of problems that could have been prevented or could now be corrected. Campaign SightFirst is the
fund-raising program for SightFirst.

LCIF

Houston Ear Research Foundation
7737 Southwest Freeway, Suite 630
Houston, Texas 77074
(713) 771-9966
(800) 843-0807 TTY
FAX (713) 771-0546
Email: JANGIL@hern.org

Houston Ear Research Foundation was incorporated in August, 1983 as a center to provide excellence in service dedicated to the cochlear implant. Sometimes referred to as an “electronic ear,”
a cochlear implant enables a deaf or severely-to- profoundly hearing impaired individual to hear sound. Our cochlear implant program is now in its eighteenth (18^th) year. Approximately 325 children and 200 adults have received the cochlear implant in our Houston program since March, 1983. Both Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital and Memorial Hermann Healthcare System have been very supportive of the Foundation's efforts for the hearing impaired since we began our program. At the current time, there are various cochlear implant devices available through the Houston Ear Research Foundation.
The Nucleus 24 Contour Cochlear Implant, manufactured by Cochlear Corporation, is available and approved by the FDA for adults and children as young as 12 months of age. The cochlear implant is a success.
It is here to stay and will offer many children and adults a chance to become a part of our hearing society. We know the cochlear implant is only the beginning for some of these individuals.

It is truly amazing what a little sound will do!

Houston Ear Research Foundation

Taping For The Blind, Inc.

Turning Sight Into Sound

Houston Taping For The Blind Radio began broadcasting in 1978. Today, HTBR is on the air 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Enjoy readings from the Houston Chronicle, Wall Street Journal, popular books, and news, sports, and entertainment magazines.

HTBR broadcasts on a special low-power FM frequency through specially-tuned radio receivers. TFB provides radios free to qualified clients. You can also hear us on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) of KUHT-TV, Channel 8, Houston's PBS station. Through our partnerships with Houston Public Radio and Houston Public Television, we've extended our broadcast range to a 33-county area around Houston.

HOUSTON TAPING FOR THE BLIND

Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) pioneered the concept of training specially-bred dogs to help people with disabilities other than blindness. Founded in 1975, CCI was the first in-depth program of its kind. Not only does CCI teach dogs the skills to bring independence to people with disabilities, they teach people with disabilities the skills needed to master an exceptional dog.

CCI dogs are uniquely prepared for their lives of service by living their first 16 to 18 months with volunteer "puppy raisers." These committed, caring, unselfish people socialize the dogs, taking them everywhere: the grocery store, work, the movies, shopping, to school, out in public, on airplanes, etc. This socialization together with the loving care these special dogs receive enable them to go everywhere their masters go.
Service Teams - Adults and adolescents with physical disabilities who work with a Canine Companion to extend their abilities and utilize the dog to perform physical tasks such as pulling a wheelchair and retrieving dropped items.

Skilled Companion Teams - Three part team comprised of child or adult with physical, developmental or emotional disabilities, a primary caretaker, and a Canine Companion who helps with physical tasks and creates a bond of companionship, affection and love.

Facility Teams - Adults who work as rehabilitation professionals,
caregivers or educators and utilize a Canine Companion to improve the mental, physical or emotional health of those in their care.

Hearing Teams - Adults who are hard of hearing or deaf who use a Canine Companion to alert them to everyday sounds such as doorbells, alarm clocks and smoke alarms.

The support of Lionism is greatly needed, now, more than ever. CCI graduates pay only $100 for supplies to start their new lives with their companion. There is NO charge for the dog. Requests for assistance dogs are increasing, and so are the substantial costs involved in the lengthy process of breeding, raising, training, and placing a Canine Companion with a CCI graduate.

Canine Companion for Independence

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership
10880 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 410
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-474-4370

HOBY was founded in 1958 by veteran actor Hugh O’Brian after an inspirational nine-day visit with Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his clinic in Africa. Motivated by Dr. Schweitzer’s remark, “The most important thing in education is to teach young people to think for themselves,” Mr. O’Brian established HOBY. Since its beginning, nearly half a million young people have participated in HOBY’s programs throughout the world. Annually, over 20,000 public and private high schools are invited to select an outstanding tenth grader to attend HOBY leadership development seminars that are run principally by a dedicated group of more than 4,000 volunteers.

Volunteerism - Volunteerism is the heart and soul of our organization. We appreciate the myriad contributions of our volunteers, and recognize the power of thank you. We seek to promote and encourage volunteerism among our stakeholders. We recognize and value the power of good that volunteers can achieve working together.

Excellence - Excellence defines who we are and how we conduct our programs, and run our business. We proactively examine our performance and strive to improve in a never ending quest to continually raise our programs and business to new levels of excellence. We pursue excellence with a passion in all we do.

Organizational Integrity – Organizational integrity forms the foundation of our organization. We demand the highest level of ethics and grow our organization based on interactions that promote mutual trust and respect with our stakeholders. We strive to ensure the highest level of organizational effectiveness by continually reviewing our programs and processes to improve quality and efficiency.

Diversity – We value and embrace diversity. We seek out views that reflect all walks of life, and reflect those views in our programs. We are sensitive to the special needs and diverse backgrounds of individuals. We give all individuals an opportunity to be heard and to benefit from our programs.

Innovative Thinking – Our organization grows through innovative thinking. We are not constrained by fixed ideas. We learn from the past, but are not limited by it. We proactively approach challenges and opportunities with innovative thinking to develop creative solutions. We value innovative thinking that has the potential to expand our programs and better serve our stakeholders.

Community Partnership – We value community partnerships. We recognize the importance of working with our community organizations to reflect the diverse backgrounds of the individuals we seek to serve. We value the input we receive from our community partners, and strive to work together cooperatively and constructively.

Lifelong Learning Leadership Opportunities – We never stop. We believe that leadership skills can and should be continually improved and refined. We provide programs and services to foster lifelong leadership learning opportunities.

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership

Leader Dogs for the Blind introduces Kids N' Coins, a unique and fun fundraising effort that involves elementary school children throughout Michigan. This program has been adopted by the Lions of Texas. Students are asked to collect spare change from their homes and families to donate to Leader Dog. 100% of the money raised through the Kids N' Coins program will be applied directly to the costs associated with the training of a student/dog team.

Schools that participate in the program will receive a photo of the Future Leader Dog they are "sending to school," as well as a picture of the graduate team. Each student participating will receive information about Leader Dogs for the Blind and a personalized certificate of thanks.

Kids N' Coins is a flexible program that can be tailored to any school. Administrators can create friendly competitions between classes, grades, or neighboring schools. The length of the program can also be customized from as short as one day to as long as several months.

School administrators or community school coordinators must complete and return the participation form on the back of this brochure. Leader Dogs for the Blind will then contact you and forward a Kids N' Coins packet that includes a coin pail, posters, certificates of recognition, a parental consent form, and a photograph of a Future Leader Dog that your funds will help "send to school."

Kids N' Coins

TEXAS LIONS CAMP P.O. BOX 290247 KERRVILLE, TX 7802947 830-896-8500	The Lions of Texas support and operate a camp for physically handicapped and insulin dependent diabetic children in Kerrville Texas. Children attend this camp at no cost to them or their parents. Established in 1949, the Texas Lions Camp has now served more than 45,000 children, giving each of them a very special learning and growing experience in a beautiful hill country setting
Texas Lions Camp

	Lions of District 2-S2 provide Leader Dogs for blind people. These dogs and the blind person's training to use the dog are furnished at no cost to the blind person through Leader Dogs for the Blind In Rochester, Michigan.
Leader Dog for the Blind

HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FUND	HRF provides funds for local disaster relief and to aid Lions Clubs in humanitarian efforts that are beyond the resources of the club.
HRF REQUEST FORM

TEXAS LIONS FOUNDATION	The Texas Lions foundation provides funds for humanitarian services and disaster relief in the State of Texas.
Texas Lions Foundation

SIGHT CONSERVATION	This District program assists local Lions Clubs in their sight conservation efforts. It also handles the collection and distribution of used eyeglasses.
LOCATIONS AROUND HOUSTON

Diabetic Day Camp	Lions of District 2-S2 support summer day camp programs for diabetic children and their siblings. The American Diabetes Associations Camp Rainbow held in north Houston.
Brochure

LIONS EYE BANK FOUNDATION	The Lions Eye Bank Foundation is a fund for research and development of projects involving sight restoration. Grants have been made to study eye diseases and disorders and the development of improved corneal transplantation procedures.

LIONS WORLD SERVICES FOR THE BLIND	Lions World Services for the Blind Is a Lions owned and operated vocational school, teaching blind clients life and business skills, and computer expertise. Operated by the Arkansas Lions, it services clients from more than twenty states.
LWSB

Hearing and Speech Action	The Hearing and Speech Action program provides information to the clubs about hearing loss, coordinates the collection and renovation of used hearing aids, furnishes closed-caption decoders and hearing aids for underprivileged children.
Center for Hearing and Speech