The Onchocerciasis Elimination Program in the Americas is a community-based partnership that includes volunteers in the endemic countries of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela and has the support of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, Merck, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lions Clubs International Foundation, the release said.

Acting under a resolution by the Pan American Health Organization, the program has sought to end transmission of river blindness in these six endemic countries by 2012 through health education and the semiannual mass distribution of the anti-parasite drug Mectizan (ivermectin, Merck).

The Ministry of Health has been providing ivermectin to patients in the northern part of Ecuador’s Esmeraldas Province since 1990. In 2008, 27,372 ivermectin treatments were administered to more than 16,000 people there, after which epidemiological studies showed that the transmission of the parasite had been stalled.

Colombia was the first of the six nations to break the transmission of onchocerciasis in 2008.

“With only four countries remaining endemic, it’s critical that elimination efforts and health education are intensified elsewhere in the Americas to reach the regional goal and to avoid future suffering,” Frank O. Richards Jr., MD, director of the Carter Center’s River Blindness Program, said in the release.

In order for the World Health Organization to confirm that the parasite has been eliminated, a 3-year surveillance phase will begin in Ecuador this year to ensure that infection does not reoccur in the absence of ivermectin distribution.

These necessary funds were raised in only four hours. In the local depressed economy, everyone attending was aware of the needs for compassion towards the people in Haiti. Golden Corral also added to the effort with financial aid from part of the guests meal purchase. LCIF and the needs of people in Haiti also won over our guests and new friends within the Garner Police Department. A Garner Civitan called his Civic Club members to become a part of this exciting effort.

Partnering with Lions Clubs, Golden Corral is not new to stepping up to the needs of communities and their citizens around the world. Always generous in extending assistance for the local communities, the needs of Lions, and around the world, Golden Corral is a leader and sets an example to businesses throughout the world with the necessity of offering assistance when needed. The Garner Golden Corral and management answered the immediate need in both the LCIF-Katrina and LCIF-China efforts by raising needed funds for relief in those LCIF efforts. This was the same kind of partnership and event held. As a long standing member of the Roxboro Lions Club and past LCIF Sight-First II Coordinator, Lion Alan Michael has the insight to employee quality compassionate people who know what needs truly are. His staff is multi-culture in background and he has had to learn three languages to be able to communicate in his daily duties. The Golden Corral service and support staff donated their hard earned income as well for this effort. An event like this makes is fun however, it is harder for the service staff because of the people involved trying to serve the guests, informing everyone about what Lions accomplish through LCIF.

The Garner Police Department, “McGruff the Crime Dog”, met and greeted everyone that entered the restaurant. McGruff never missed the opportunity to have his picture taken with those that were young as well as those that were young at heart. The Police officers took care of the tables and serviced needs while the Lions of District 31-G, worked with the dinner guests by meeting their immediate needs for fun, knowledge and informational flyers with dinner. Lions filled in to take care of any gaps in service for the guests. Lions handed out flyers, explained what Lions accomplish both locally and globally, LCIF, and community needs within the State of North Carolina. Laughs, conversation, education and Service to Others made this a great night for everyone involved.

Just as “Lions Clubs International Foundation working with local Lions Clubs members with boots on the ground” at the Disaster site meet the timely needs in our world wide community and humanitarian efforts… previously stated from the immediate past Lions Clubs International Foundation President Al Brandel.

Every International Disaster in the recent years the Lions-Golden Corral Partnership has stepped up to be an important part of the cure for a disaster. The funding of a LCIF grant awarded to the country will secure a great future for Haiti in the years to follow this earthquake. The immediate grant aided in the initial disaster, the long term grant and relief efforts after others have left the country, this is what makes the Lions Clubs International Foundation different from others. Each dollar donated will make it to the relief effort and the goals of the rebuilding process. Outstanding humanitarian Lions Club members, like Alan Michael, have the unique opportunity to live up to the organizations motto, “We Serve!” This is what Lions Club Membership is all about, Service to Others.

Prestatyn and Rhyl Lions Club is donating its bus to the Uganda Eye Bus appeal after stricter health and safety regulations forced the club to take the vehicle off the road.

Club member Gerry Beasley said: “The bus is 10 years old and it will be used out there for another 10 years taking people to hospitals.

The bus will be taken by boat to Mombassa, Kenya, where a group of African volunteers will drive the bus to Kampala, Uganda.

It will be travelling with a custom-built £60,000 eye operation bus which is being paid for by Lions clubs across the North West and match-funded by the group’s international foundation.

Surgeons using the bus can operate on children suffering from cataract and eye problems.

Editor’s note: The following is the fourth part in a six-part series of profiles on our Citizen Choice Awards honorees. Citizen Choice Awards is an award ceremony that recognizes people who exemplify what it means to be a Garner citizen. This week, we honor the Garner Lions Club for civic organization.

Winded from carrying several heavy boxes into the back door of the Garner Lions Club’s West Main Street facility, Jim Valsame, Gene English, Signal Ross and Kenny Lynch gathered on a recent afternoon to do a job. Having sorted into heaping piles more than 700 pieces of donated eyeglasses, lenses and hearing aids, including related accessories like cases and tiny batteries, they paused to admire the bounty before them.

“Our residents, eye care professionals, funeral homes and senior citizen organizations, among others, have been extremely generous this year,” said Ross, a Garner Lions Club member for more than 20 years who currently serves as club chaplain. “I’m thrilled with the number of boxes we get to pack and ship.”

Nurtured by parent organizations Lions Clubs International and the N.C. Lions Foundation, the Garner club, chartered in 1944, strives to improve the lives of the blind, visually impaired or hearing impaired by providing these individuals with opportunities to enjoy life fully and productively. Club members support these efforts through raising funds for prevention, research, education, recreation and emergency service programs to help eventually eliminate these impairments.

Club members also welcome and support collaborations with education, medical and recreational partners to create and maintain projects to meet its goal, such as funding clinical eye trials and radio reading services. The 21^st-Century Vision Van travels the state, for example, providing free screenings in communities across North Carolina.

Valsame, a Lions Club member since the mid-1950s, was tapped to spearhead the SightFirst capital campaign early in his career to help the World Health Organization fight blindness in third-world countries. Inspired by Helen Keller’s challenge for the Lions Clubs to be the “Knights of the blind and deaf” when she addressed the N.C. Lions Foundation convention in 1935, Valsame also worked toward increasing the presence and reach of humanitarian campaigns such as the White Cane Fund for the Blind.

English, on the club rolls for more than 30 years, noted that club members across North Carolina enjoy volunteering at Camp Dogwood, a 54-acre resort on Lake Norman constructed to give visually impaired or hearing impaired kids a typical summer camp experience. He added that service options are endless and range from swinging a hammer, leading a hike or flipping pancakes. Clubs can also choose to sponsor kids to attend camp when funds at home fall short.

Propelled by the organization’s humble but clear motto, “We Serve,” the Garner club also directs its benevolence toward home. The legacy of its ball fields notwithstanding, in addition to subsidizing eye exams and glasses, hearing tests and aids, the club supports a long list of local charities such as Garner Area Ministries and the Linus Project. The Garner club partners with its neighboring club in Knightdale to sponsor the annual Dollars for Scholars golf tournament, which benefits area high school students who show potential for success in higher education endeavors.

“We don’t make a big deal about our work sometimes,” English said. “Lions Clubs are the best kept secret in the community.”

There will be door prizes along with dash plaques for the first 50 cars. Music will be provided by Top Down DJ’s, Joel and Judy.

Volunteers gathered Saturday at Wal-Mart, Walgreens and on busy street corners to gather donations for school-supply collection and raised over $2,500.

Stuff The Bus is a fundraising event that benefits school children who need a little help obtaining school supplies.

Suzanne Sanders, Sunset Lions Club Stuff the Bus organizer, said the club has supported the program for 20 years and is sponsored by all of the Lions Clubs of Seguin and Geronimo.

“Richard Garza with Seguin ISD is the one who was doing it before I got involved, but it wasn’t called Stuff the Bus until I got a hold of it, renamed it and got clubs and organizations helping and it has grown tremendously since then,” she said. “He used to do 50 bags per grade and this year we are doing 150 bags per grade. So, we are actually going to provide 1,500 school children with school bags.”

Sanders and the team collect supplies and donations throughout the year and set aside donation locations.

While every little bit helps, Sanders said some donations help a little bit more.

“We appreciate the school supplies but with the monetary donations we can buy it at a discount and with no tax and in bulk,” she said. “So, we can get a lot more supplies with the money. We won’t turn anything down, everything gets used.”

During the Saturday campaign, the Lions Club members had some help from members of Seguin High School’s Interact Club.

Morgan Richardson, president of the Interact Club said that even though she will be graduating after this year, she will be back to continue what she has started.

“I am planning to come next year. I love knowing its going to help someone,” she said. “We had a blast and we started making up songs about Stuff the Bus.”

Nick Sheffield, Interact Club head of public relations committee said he enjoyed being able to get out there and engage the community, especially the younger members.

“I think my favorite part was actually seeing the little kids donate,” he said. “It was very touching.”

Sanders said community members really step up to help the area children.

“I think the community realizes the young children who are low income need a boost in help to go to school. And we want the children to go to school happy and ready to learn and not worrying about the fact they don’t have notebook paper,” she said.

The bags the children receive are filled with at least one of every item on the school’s supply list, with a few exceptions, Sanders said.

“They wont get any of the kitchen items,” she said. “Every kid that is in elementary (pre-k to sixth grade) will get at least of one of everything. We will also help the older kids of these families. They will get a few supplies that apply to their grade.”

Sanders said she enlisted help from a summer program to help make the process a little quicker.

“We also use the parks and recreations day camp children, who help out every year,” she said. “Without them we couldn’t fill the 1,500 bags in one day.”

On Wednesday, Aug 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Mary B. Erskine, qualifying students can come pick up the supply bags the organization has put together.

School supplies are not all the kids will have a chance to get, Sanders said.

“There will also be an Inter-Agency Health Fair where they can sign up for other social services and that is from 10:30 to noon,” she said. “They will check their eyes so they know whether they do or don’t need glasses and they can also get immunizations, so bring your shot records.”

The help does not end there. Students who do not make it to Stuff the Bus still have a chance to receive a few supplies, Sanders said.

“Whatever is left over and when school starts, you can go to your school counselor and they will have a box of supplies and you will be able to get some of your supplies from there,” she said.

To contribute to the program throughout the year donations can be sent to the Seguin ISD in the name of Stuff the Bus.