Sightlines Newsletter

Thank you for your continued support! By supporting the Foundation in our mission to restore and preserve sight, you rescue thousands from a lifetime of blindness.

Vote to Grow St. Louis!

The Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation recently entered Monsanto's Grow St. Louis contest in an effort to receive funding to expand our Children's Vision Screening program in low income communities. Grow St. Louis projects that accumulate the top three number of votes will receive $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 grants from Monsanto - and you can help us be among the winners!

Just visit http://www.monsanto.com/stlouis/Pages/grow-STL-contest-voting-form.aspx/?v=146 and cast your vote. You can vote up to 100 times per day, so please vote daily, vote often and tell your friends to do the same!

In Your Community

OCT
8

Fort Hays University Homecoming Parade

October 8, 2011, 1 p.m.
Hays, KS 67601
Look for the Heartland Lions Eye Banks float at the parade! We'll be spreading the word about eye donation and Kansas' donor registry.

OCT
15

Life Savers Rally

October 15, 2011, 10 a.m.
Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64112
The Eye Bank is proud to join Gift of Life at its annual Life Savers Rally. 250 high school students will hear inspiring stories from donor families and transplant recipients and be trained on the best way to implement the Life Savers program in their schools.

NOV
13

Day of Remembrance Service

November 13, 2011, 2 p.m.
Washington Park Botanical Garden, 1740 W. Fayette Ave., Springfield, IL 62703
In recognition of National Donor Sabbath, the Eye Bank will join Gift of Hope, Memorial Medical Center and St. John's Hospital for a Day of Remembrance Service to honor those who have given the gift of life.

Please Join Us in Honoring National Donor Sabbath

By sharing the message of eye, organ and tissue donation with your faith community, you can help save and enhance the lives of hundreds in need. Each November, the donation community observes National Donor Sabbath. This interfaith celebration of life is a time to honor those who have given the gift of life and encourage others to pledge to become donors.

If you or someone in your congregation is interested in sharing the message of donation during a worship service November 11-13, the Eye Bank would love to help by providing you with promotional materials and talking points. For more information or to order, please call 800-283-1982 or email info@mlerf.org.

The Gift of Sight Has This Mom Cheering

For a busy mom with three boys ages eight through 12, clear vision is critical to running her kids to their favorite sports and watching them from the bleachers.

In 2000, Tammy of Sparta, Mo. was diagnosed with keratoconus, a disorder in which the cornea thins and becomes cone-shaped. Within 10 years, the condition completely altered Tammy's life as she could no longer see details in anything she viewed. Tammy had to cut down on her hours at work and could only drive during the day if weather conditions were absolutely perfect...

Eye Banks Battle for Facebook Domination

Heartland Lions Eye Banks has challenged our friends up in Chicago - the Illinois Eye-Bank - to a friendly Facebook competition! Now through October 31st, we're seeing who can get the largest increase of Facebook fans in one month. If we win, we get a deep dish Chicago-style pizza and IEB staff will have to wear Cardinals gear. If we lose, we're sending a gooey butter cake up to the Windy City, and we'll be forced to sport Cubs t-shirts.

Help support HLEB by liking us on Facebook today at www.facebook.com/HeartlandLEB!

Missouri Lions Clubs

Hey Missouri Lions! Don't forget - we've scheduled Open Houses across the state, and we'd love for you to stop by our offices to see what MLERF and HLEB are all about!

Kansas City - October 8
St. Louis - October 15
Springfield - October 22

All Open Houses are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. To RSVP, please email info@mlerf.org or call 800-283-1982.

Take a look at what we're doing in your community! Review the monthly program stats for your Lions district and the top giving Lions Clubs for 7/1/11 - 9/30/11