Gentry, Gravette Lions Clubs provide professional vision services in area

WESTSIDE — Since being challenged by Helen Keller to become “Knights of the Blind” at their 1925 annual convention, Lions Clubs around the world have been providing professional eyecare where needed. In western Benton County, the Gentry Lions Club and the Gravette Lions Club both have programs that provide eye examinations and glasses to individuals in need. The services are provided through local eye care professionals.

Both Lions Clubs support and have referring privileges to the Mid-South Lions Sight and Hearing Center, which provides more advanced services and surgeries at their facility in Memphis and at contracted eye surgery facilities here in Northwest Arkansas. Mid-South Lions Sight and Hearing is a partnership of Lions in Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas, and medical professionals and facilities throughout the mid-South.

Gentry and Gravette clubs, as well as the MidSouth Lions program, have financial guidelines which must be met to receive these services.

For additional information, call Gentry Lions president Roberta Defraga, 479-445-2775, or Gravette Lions president Jeff Davis, 479-250-0125. Membership information is also available by calling the individuals listed.

The Gentry and Gravette clubs are separately chartered by Lions Clubs International. Both clubs hold fundraisers throughout the year to ensure they are able to provide eye examinations and glasses when requested.

Lions Clubs International is the largest service organization in the world. Its 1.42 million members in more than 48,000 clubs are serving in over 200 countries and geographic areas around the globe. Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through handson service and humanitarian projects, and members are able to extend their service impact through the generous support of the Lions Clubs International Foundation.

Lions are focused on supporting issues of sight, hunger, the environment, childhood cancer, and their new global cause, diabetes, to help address some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. Lions have set an ambitious goal of helping 200 million people per year so they can bring even more service to more people than ever before.

For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit lionsclubs.org.