Georgia Magazine - February 2011 - (Page 21)

Recipients of eyeglasses show their thanks. For decades, Lions around Georgia have been collecting gently used eyeglasses as part of the Lighthouse’s eyeglass recycling program, which was started by Ken Massingale, of decatur. A that could help—the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. Established in 1949 by three Lions Clubs Children in Mexico protect their eyes from the sun with new (Atlanta, Moultrie and Albany), the Lions Lightsunglasses. house was the dream of a blind member of the skilled carpenter, Curtis Thomp- Atlanta Lions, Tom Bingham, who first imagined an outreach program son, of Douglasville, learned providing eye exams and glasses to his trade from his father and made it his vocation until he reached age 48. people in need. Today, 220 Lions Clubs in Georgia as well as other That’s when he developed cataracts community organizations support and lost his sight, depriving him of his ability to drive, work, and care for the Lighthouse, helping people like Thompson who, thanks to sight-rehimself or his elderly mother. storing surgery, sees and works again. Ineligible for government assis“When you’ve been working your tance, Thompson couldn’t afford the eye surgery he’d been told might save whole life, then you get to where you depend on everybody else,” Thomphis sight, but he’d heard of a place son says, “… you don’t know what a gift it is to have your sight back.” Intent on sharing the gift of sight, and hearing, the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation last year kicked off a $2.75 million capital campaign, exceeded the goal, and moved into new and larger offices in December. The Chamblee location features an on-site eye clinic, eyeglass recycling center and optical fabrication lab, according to Sarah Epting, partnership director for the Lighthouse. The new offices were necessary to keep up with expanding services, she says. In 2009 alone, the Lighthouse served more than 7,500 uninsured and low-income Georgians by providing eye exams, eyeglasses, vision and hearing screenings, and hearing aids. In 2007, the organization updated Curtis Thompson, of douglasville, developed its hearing program by shifting from cataracts at 48 and lost his sight, leaving refurbished analog hearing aids to him unable to work and care for himself or providing new, high-quality digital his elderly mother. aids. Since then, the number of hearFebruary 2011 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org ing aids provided annually has more than doubled from 730 to 1,624. In addition, the Lighthouse has facilitated more than 300 eye surgeries in each of the past three years, meeting its goal to average one surgery per workday. For years, the Lighthouse has partnered with eye doctors for the important eye surgeries and exams. “But there were long waiting lists,” (Continued on next page) Lions Lighthouse timeline March 1949: Georgia Lighthouse for the Blind Inc. is established with Tom Bingham as executive director. 1949: The first Lighthouse patient to have surgery is Max Parker, 4, of Moultrie. 1961: The name becomes Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. 1977: The Lighthouse board of directors adds a second emphasis, hearing, and a hearing aid bank is established. 1980: The Lighthouse begins a recycled eyeglasses program. 1980s: The Lighthouse funds the first corneal transplant performed on an infant. 2005: The Lighthouse helps more than 100 victims of Hurricane Katrina evacuated to Atlanta receive eye exams and glasses. 2006: The Lighthouse establishes an eye clinic program in partnership with Georgia’s free clinics. 2007: The Lighthouse starts distributing new digital hearing aids rather than refurbished analog hearing aids. 2010: A successful $2.75 million capital campaign makes possible relocation to larger facilities with an on-site eye clinic, in Chamblee. 21 AUdRA MeLTOn http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - February 2011

Georgia Magazine - February 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Georgia's Engergy Outlook
Tree Army's Legacy
Bringing the Future into Focus
My Georgia
Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - February 2011