Lions Club has a very special place in my heart. When I walk into our club meeting 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month, I feel warmth, like walking into a family reunion. Since 2014 I have been welcomed by a wonderful group of people who have helped me grow personally and professionally as a real estate broker. Lions Club has aided me in my leadership skills by attending the very effective Lions Club International leadership seminars (Lions Learning Institutes). Using the leadership certificates, I have been on Boards for Real Estate Associations and Homeowners Associations. Being a Lion has helped me to become the Leader I am.
The reason I joined Lions Club is because they helped my son, Luke, in 2nd grade around 2009, discover that he had an eye problem. I had no idea! He came home with a paper from Lions Club that said “your child needs further eye examination”. They were right! He had amblyopia disorder in one eye and since it was caught at a young age, we could patch his good eye so the weak eye would “catch up” with the other. He also wore glasses to assist in the development. That touched me so much as a mom that I wanted to “Give Back” to the Lions Club. I had the opportunity to join and have since served 2 times as the President of the Cleveland Lions Club.
I love our motto: WE SERVE! We screen approximately 5000 students each year for vision and if the student needs a referral (we refer about 15%) for further eye exam, we cover that cost along with any eyeglasses they need. We co-partner with United Way of Ocoee Region for our funds. We also have a great annual fundraiser, Pickle Ball Tournament! We also co-partner with Karis Community Health which helps us facilitate our Adult Eyeglasses assistance. Karis is the brick and mortar that the Bradley County residents can go to and be interviewed and apply for the assistance. We also collect 1000s of used eyeglasses in our community and send them to areas of the world that need glasses. My advice to others: Become a Lion and feel great about helping our community!
Lions Club is the only civic organization that I belong to other than the local, state and National Association of Realtors. Lions Club is so special to me as I have had an eye without any sight in it since early childhood and I know the challenges that other might have as a result of eye issues and if we can help to detect these at an early age, there is usually a way to help thru the Lions Club. We screen the county and city school children and if there is a problem found a note goes to the parents from the school. If financial help is needed we provide that as well.
Thru our partnering with Karis we also provide cataract surgeries. If you are looking for a place to feel like family and while volunteering a little of your time to help others, come be a part of our Cleveland Lions Club.