By NANCY KARRICK
Special to Atmore News
The Atmore Lions Club met October 2 in the Mayson Auditorium at Atmore Community Hospital. President Lion Joyce Petty called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Lion Mike von Keyserling said the prayer and the blessing.
Barry Elliott from Birmingham was introduced as a visitor.
Following lunch, Lion Joyce discussed Taste of the South and the Lions presence there. Lion Gregg Akins gave an update on Williams Station Day and the need for volunteers. It was noted by the president that our Auburn-Alabama football raffle tickets have been sent in. The food drive on November 2 at Walmart was discussed and volunteers were solicited along with the need of Leo help. Atmore will be hosting the Lions Club District Cabinet Meeting on October 19 at Encore. Members were encouraged to attend.
Past District Governor Barry Elliott, Executive Director of Alabama Lions Sight, was presented a certificate as a 2024 Golden Rail Award winner from the Atmore Advance. The certificate was for the optometrist / ophthalmologist office and the mobile sight van which has been in Atmore three times in the last year. After the presentation, Lion Barry said that Alabama Lions Sight is partnering with Health and Professional Services at UAB to help the homeless in parks in Birmingham. Once a month UAB visits the area and provides medical services and the Lions mobile eye clinic works to provide them with eye care. He also reported that 4,000 people in 43 counties were served by the two mobile eye clinics Lions has last year. In 2025, they will reach service to all 67 counties. Lions Sight also partnered with the American Diabetic Association to provide a camera which will check for retina problems, diabetic retinography and macular degeneration. Elliott also noted that Alabama Lions Sight is being recognized for the quality, high standards, and state of the art equipment which they have. Lions Sight is one of the major services of Lions International and the Atmore Club is a big supporter of the projects they undertake. Your support of local Lions projects helps support the state and international sight programs.