Service Programs

Programs

Service to the Visually Impaired

Lions are recognized worldwide for their service to the blind and visually impaired. This service began when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness" during the association's 1925 international convention. The Woburn Host Lions Club meets this challenge in a number of ways each year.

Sight Conservation/Eyeglass Collection

One program is our Eyeglass Collection program in which we set out collection boxes at strategic locations in Woburn for the donation of used eyeglasses. There are many unfortunate people with visual impairments who cannot afford to purchase eyeglasses. The donated glasses are refurbished and repurposed to those needy individuals.

Childhood Eye-health Program

Another of our programs is the Childhood Eye-Health Program. This is a program in which the Woburn Host Lions partners with the Woburn Public Schools and local school nurses to identify school age children who are in need of eye care, but whose families lack the financial resources to pay for it. Nurses refer eligible children to our partnering optician, Dr. Zooey Tolchin. The children receive eye examinations and any necessary care. All expenses, not otherwise covered, are paid by the Woburn Host Lions. Payment is accomplished in an anonymous process through which the children remain known only to the school nurses and the doctor.

Support for the Boston Renegades Beep Baseball Team

Beep baseball is an action packed sport for blind and visually impaired athletes. It is a league sport,played nationally. Our local team is known as the Boston Renegades. The Woburn Host Lions Club first established a relationship with the Boston Renegades in 2009. We have enjoyed playing (and being beaten by) them in many exhibition games. Our club has helped the Renegades run many events including hosting their Movie at the Woburn Showcase cinema back in 2013. We have also helped fund multiple tournaments for the Renegades including the six team tournament in 2017 in which we gave all six teams $1,000 for participating.

Youth Programs

The mission of Lions Opportunities for Youth is: To provide the young people of the world with opportunities for achievement, learning, contribution and service, individually and collectively, through sponsorship of activities identified as best practices in the field of youth development

• Lions Opportunities for Youth Committees include:
• Lions International Peace Poster Contest
• Lions International Youth Camp Program
• Lions International Youth Exchange Program
• Lions Youth Outreach Program
• Leo Club Youth Programs

Committees are organized at the club, district and multiple district levels. The committee includes chairpersons from all Lions youth programs.