Greater Pine Island Lions drop boxes available around island
To the editor:
Drop box collections:
All occasion greeting cards [new or used – including special “Relative (mom, dad, grandson, etc.] and Holiday cards (Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, graduation, etc.)
These are provided to: Lighthouse of SW Florida, 35 W. Mariana Ave., North Fort Myers (formerly Visually Impaired Persons)
They cut the pictures off and glue them to their own cards with their name, address, etc. on the back. They also add pictures to the inside with words appropriate from other cards
They add new envelopes and sell for a small amount in their facility. This money helps the volunteers who are there for rehab. Bundles of these cards go out to servicemen and women at various locations stateside and worldwide so they will have free cards to mail “home.”
They also need larger picture frames for the paintings people in rehab paint and frame. If you have any of these you would like to donate, call 283-9761 to be sure they are what they need and either you can deliver or Lions will pick up and deliver.
The Lion needs stamps, new or used. These are used as rehab in veteran hospitals. The patients cut the stamps into “small tiles” and use them to construct art work/pictures which they sell in the hospitals for spending money, or use as gifts for their friends and relatives.
Regular and sunglasses (readers are also accepted):
These are shipped to our facility in Northern Florida where they are cleaned, repaired and sorted. Many are redistributed right here in Florida or sent to other states, countries to be distributed by Lions or missionaries.
Hearing aids:
If these are fairly new they might be redistributed right here. Otherwise they go to another group in Lions who refurbish them and then they are reissued to those in need, who cannot afford to buy them. You have heard this story before, but the message is the same and bears repeating. Last year we had one hearing aid that was practically new donated. I called the company who supplied the hearing aid and after hearing my story, they said that whoever I gave them to would be seen in their facility and the equipment would be adjusted to fit him and the warranty would be honored. That made that one easy. The proud owner is “Proud to be a Lion.”
Cell phones:
These too are refurbished and reissued to those in need: domestic violence victims, older people who cannot afford the cell phones and need them to carry with them in case they fall.
The GPI Lions Club provides free eye exams and glasses to residents of Greater Pine Island who cannot afford them. If the eye exam finds other problems, we work with the opthalmologist to get the price lowered so we can afford whatever is needed to correct the problems. Last year we had two women who had bleeding retina’s and of course, did not know it until the eyes were examined. Those corrections were made by the eye doctor at no cost to the women or to the GPI Lions Club. Other surgeries such as cataracts are also provided working with the doctor and with the help of the Lions Eye Foundation (to which Lions’ Clubs donate money annually). We provided several surgeries last year and have one in process right now from Matlacha.
Hearing aids are also provided. These are issued through Starkey Foundation and we work with Leonardi on North 41. They graciously donate their time and provide the ear molds, etc. needed before ordering the proper hearing aid from Starkey, once the application is approved.
We also donate to numerous organizations on the Island: FISH (because of all that they do to help our residents, but also the help they give to our clients who do not have transportation to get to Edison Mall where we send those who need eye exams and glasses. We work with Dr. Sanchez and Lens Crafters and they can provide the care they need and get the glasses for them the same day (unless there are unusual needs for the glasses), The Food Pantry, Museum of the Island, Pine Island Elementary, Scout and Cub Scout Troops 20 of GPI, we also sponsor a Little League Baseball team, Thunder, and we provide them with a pizza party near the end of season for both teams, managers, moms, and anyone attending the game., other donations are made upon request and with review.
Each Lion Club is responsible for earning its own money in order to be able to provide services for our residents who cannot afford them. Our annual fund-raiser is “Greater Pine Island 6th Annual Raffle/Auction.” It is held at the St. James Civic Center next year we plan to have it on February 21, 2016 from 6- -10. We are moving it to later in the month because of conflicts with Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day. We may be making other changes in our program but those changes will be announced later. A live and silent auction will be held throughout the evening. We want everyone to come and enjoy themselves. Plan to bring a group to have more fun. Only 100 tickets will be offered. They will be available in the fall of 2015.
We have drop boxes at: Beacon of H.O.P.E., Family Hair Salon (Winn-Dixie Plaza), Community Church, Stonegate Bank, Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, Library, Matlacha Post Office, SPA 33 in Matlacha and Pine Island Cove.
We still have a few of our “Cooking with Friends” cookbooks at $10 each. You will find them for sale at: Two Fish Inn Gift Shop, Old Pine Island Marina, Castaways Realty and Hair Salon (Winn-Dixie Plaza) in St. James City and Matlacha Menagerie, SPA 33, and Blue Dog Bar & Grill in Matlacha, or you can call Mary at 283-9761 or Bernadette 303-590-5876.
Mary M. Von Burg
Greater Pine Island Lions president