442 People Screened at 2-Day Event!

Many St. Louis kids will be starting off the school year with better sight thanks to the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation’s amblyopia screening technicians and dedicated Lions volunteers.

On July 25th and 26th, the Foundation held its largest two-day screening event at the Saint Louis Science Center. Using our new Plusoptix vision screening equipment, we screened 271 children ages six months to six years for amblyopia and other vision conditions. In addition, 171 Science Center guests were screened for glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.

A big thank you goes to the following Lions volunteers as well as all the St. Louis area Lions who spread the word about this important event:

If we missed your name on our volunteer list, please let us know at info@mlerf.org so we can acknowledge you in the next Virtual Ambassador newsletter.

Merida Foundation Distributes Donated Eyeglasses in Mexico

Because of the generosity of eyeglass donors and the Lions club members who volunteer to sort and clean these needed donations, thousands of individuals throughout Mexico have a new outlook on life.



In April, the Merida Foundation from Jefferson City, which aids Mexican and Peruvian villagers living with vision problem, traveled to Merida, Mexico and the surrounding area on its first of three annual mission trips. The Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation provided the Merida Foundation with 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses recently, many of which were distributed to villagers of all ages during the trip.

Said Merida Foundation president Dorothy Lemke in a letter about the trip, “There was a young girl, maybe 11 or 12. She came up in the line with her mother, barely able to see at all. It took forever to find her a pair of eyeglasses that would help. When we finally put on that first pair that made a difference, her eyes got so bright it looked like someone had turned on a switch.”

By working closely together with other organizations focused on vision care, the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation and our dedicated Lions volunteers continue to make a difference for children and adults alike around the world.

Top 10 Contributors for 2008/2009

Congratulations to the following Lions clubs for becoming the largest Foundation contributors for FY08/09!

• Lions Charitable Foundation of A-2
• Jefferson City Host Lions
• Lions All-Star Basketball Classic - District M6
• Concord Village Lions
• Ferguson Lions
• Paris Lions
• Hermann Lions
• St. Ferdinand Township Lions
• Springfield Southeast Lions
• Missouri Lions Multiple District 26

Spread the Word About Virtual Ambassador

Are there Lions members in your club who do not currently receive MLERF's Virtual Ambassador newsletter? Encourage them to sign up today on the MLERF web site. Registration takes just minutes and will keep them on top of the latest happenings at the Foundation.

MLERF Receives Missouri Foundation for Health Grant

In July, the Foundation’s Amblyopia Prevention Program was awarded a 24-month Basic Support grant in the amount of $100,000 by the Missouri Foundation for Health, a philanthropic organization whose vision it is to improve the health of people in the communities it serves.

The grant will be used to cover salary, equipment and supply expenses for the program, providing us with additional funding to screen underserved and underinsured children throughout the state.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Missouri State Fair
August 13- 23
Sedalia, MO

Foundation Board of Directors Meeting
September 12, 9:00 a.m.
University Plaza Hotel, Arkansas Room
333 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway
Springfield, MO 65806

Foundation board meetings are open to all Missouri Lions. For more information, contact info@mlerf.org.