How the club serves Emmitsburg
The club’s year is a full calendar of service — vision help, food, scholarships, traditions and district projects. Here is the whole list, grouped the way the club itself organizes it.
Sight & hearing
Eye exams and eyeglasses for residents in need (about 35–40 people a year) · preschool vision screening with area clubs · collection and recycling of used eyeglasses and hearing aids · White Cane Days · support for Leader Dogs for the Blind and the Lions Vision Research Foundation / Wilmer Eye Institute.
Food & neighbors
Members work at the Emmitsburg Food Bank and organize purchase-and-donate food bags · Christmas Food Drive · the Empty Bowls Banquet with Thurmont Lions, supporting Catoctin Area School Service (CASS) · Neighborhood Meals.
Students & schools
Three $1,000 memorial scholarships · Brave Bags for local students · Service Learning Awards · Children’s Halloween Party and Children’s Christmas Party · preschool vision screening.
Emmitsburg traditions
Community Heritage Day and fireworks · Health Screening Program (the club’s health fair served 251 people at its 20th annual edition) · Halloween Parade & Party · Mason Dixon Festival · Ed Little Project · Candy Days / Journey for Sight.
Raising what we give
Chicken BBQ dinners · Rock & Roll Relics fundraiser · golf tournament · yard sales (one sale’s proceeds were designated to the club’s Vision Program). At least 16 Lions work every BBQ.
Beyond Emmitsburg
Lions Camp Merrick · diabetes awareness (the district effort our president co-chaired raised close to $10,000 for diabetic children’s camps) · drug and alcohol awareness · Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) grants and SightFirst.
Need help with an eye exam or glasses?
The club arranges eye exams and eyeglasses for Emmitsburg-area residents who need a hand — and can even help with a ride to the appointment. Send the request form, or call the club at 301-447-2939. Everything you send goes to the club as an email it can reply to.
Donate your old eyeglasses
The club collects used eyeglasses (and recycles hearing aids) year-round — in one reported quarter, 50 pairs came in. Bring pairs to any club event or dinner meeting, or contact the club to arrange a drop-off. Collected glasses are cleaned, sorted and given to people who need them.