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Lions Club Recognized For Efforts To Keep Kids Healthy

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 18, 2008

BRANDON - The Brandon Lions Club of District 35-R was honored by the Hillsborough County School Board on May 20 for its yearlong effort to screen South Shore and greater Brandon area schoolchildren for vision and hearing impairments and scoliosis.

Arthur Schmidt, project coordinator and club three-year director; Michael Kirk, club vice president; Howard "Bo" Hurley, club two-year director; and fellow club members Harold and Mary Elza spent more than 200 hours on the project helping registered nurses at nearly all public and many private schools in the county screen 12,529 students.

They checked children in kindergarten, first grade and third grade for height, weight, vision and hearing. Sixth-graders were screened for scoliosis.

Kirk learned that the National Association of School Nurses, in conjunction with the national VSP Sight for Students project for low-income children, would give each nurse who joined the association 25 certificates for free eye examinations and glasses. The nurses could distribute the certificates to children in need, who could then redeem them at participating VSP eye clinics.

The organization's Sight for Students program provides free eye exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children. The program operates through a network of community partners who identify children in need and doctors who provide the services and corrective eyewear.

"When the nurses use up the 25 vouchers," Kirk said, "they may get another 25, and then another 25. It's almost too good to be true. I found out there were 70 nurses in the county who were not members."

Kirk contacted Joe Desmarais, immediate past president of the Brandon Lions Club and chairman of the Greater Tampa Lions Sight Fund. Desmarais arranged for a donation of $3,000 from that organization to pay National Association of School Nurses membership fees for 30 registered nurses. That generated at least 750 vouchers for free eye exams and glasses.

"Through this donation, not only will many more children receive eye care through this process, but it would relieve the financial strain on many clubs should any of these children's parents contact Lions Clubs for financial support," Schmidt said.

"Other Lions Clubs may want to consider helping their county school districts in these examinations and may also encourage RNs of those districts to join NASN to receive the certificates," Schmidt said. "Lions Clubs may also donate money to the RNs so that they may become members of NASN and receive the certificates."

A letter June 4 to Schmidt from Marilyn P. Wissing, the volunteer school nurse coordinator for the Florida Department of Health, thanked him for "supporting our school nurses during the 2007-2008 school year."

Because there no longer will be funding for districtwide management of the school nurses as of July 1, Kirk and Schmidt hope to enlist the help of other Lions Clubs, especially at schools within each club's geographical boundaries, for the screening program. The Brandon Lions would be willing to coordinate additional participation, Schmidt said.

For information, contact Kirk at (813) 655-9343 or amk50@verizon.net.

Who Wants To Be A Writer?

BRANDON - A free writers' mini-workshop titled "So You Want to Be a Writer" will be presented by Debora M. Coty of Seffner, author of "The Distant Shore," from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Family Christian Store, 2454 Brandon Blvd. W.

"The mini-workshop is ... for people of all ages, beliefs and genres," Coty said.

She said participants in a similar event in Temple Terrace were "aspiring writers of all types ... interested in poetry, memoirs, fiction, nonfiction, novels, mysteries, true-life dramas. There was even a 12-year-old girl who just loves to write in her diary."

During the first half-hour, Coty will explain how the industry works and discuss submission guidelines, proposals and queries. The second half-hour will be an interactive how-to discussion about the nuts and bolts of writing. She also will sign copies of her book and answer questions.

For information, call the Family Christian Store at (813) 651-5700.

God's Big Backyard Includes Barbecue

VALRICO - Horizon Christian Church will combine two favorite summer traditions - vacation Bible school and a backyard barbecue.

From 9 a.m. to noon Monday through June 26, the children's ministry will transform the church's facilities into God's BIG Backyard and teach children about serving God and others. Children age 3 and older, up to those entering sixth grade this fall, are eligible.

As a grand finale for the week, the children and their families will be invited to a barbecue from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 27.

Bible school registration may be completed at www.vacationbibleschool .com/horizon08. The public also is invited to join weekly worship services at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays in the auditorium.

The church is at 1720 St. Cloud Ave. S., Valrico. For information, call Jill Steen, children's director, at (813) 689-1457.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511; e-mail neighbors@tampabay.rr .com; or call (813) 657-4531

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