How We Serve in the Branford Lions
Donations
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Branford Lions' year-to-date donations total over $10,000.00.
These donations were made to the following: Student of the Year, Branford Festival Health Tent, Branford High School Scholarship, North Branford High School Scholarship, Brian's Hope, Branford Food Council, Branford Community Dining Room, Project Graduation, Secret Santa Project, Branford Adopted Family, Nicaragua Eyeglass Assistance, Leo Scholarship Fund, Leo Club Sponsor, CLERF, LCIF, Speech and Hearing Aid Bank, Low Vision Center, CRIS Radio, Fedelco, Lions Project Cannine Companions, Diabetes Awareness, Eye Glass Collection and Festival of Lights.
Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation (CLERF)
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Over $100,000 in donations raised by our club went toward promoting and supporting basic research into the causes and treatment of human blindness. CLERF programs are currently conducted at the University of Connecticut and the School of Medicine at Yale University.
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Diabetes Awareness
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One of the unfortunate and frequent effects of diabetes is severe visual impairment or total blindness. Through your generosity, the Branford Lions and the Visiting Nurse Association have supported diabetes and vision screening and continued research.
Together with the VNA, we support and staff a Health Fair Tent at the Branford Festival, held each year on Father's Day. A free preliminary eye exam and blood screening are open to all at the Festival.
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Youth Outreach
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The Branford Lions assist the youth of our communities. We annually donate funds for scholarships to local high schools. Our club has also provided medical devices to area schools and helps with other projects within the schools.
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Connecticut Radio Information System (CRIS)
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CRIS is better known as "Connecticut's Talking Newspaper" for the blind. The Branford Lions support and Volunteer their time to staff and broadcast the local news to the blind community along the shoreline from Madison to Milford.
From the radio studio at the University of New Haven, volunteers each day for one hour at 8 a.m. and at 6 p.m. do a live broadcast reading the headlines and articles from the New Haven Register, serving the blind and print handicapped community. If you would like to become a volunteer reader, please contact Lion Jerry Osochowsky at 203-488-7903
EyeGlass & Hearing Aid Collection Boxes
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For the past 15 years, people in Branford, North Branford, and East Haven have recycled their eyeglasses and hearing aids by placing them into one of the Branford Lions Club Eyeglass collection boxes. To date, we here in Branford have donated more than 50,000 pairs of eyeglasses and over 15 hearing aids. The eyeglasses are shipped to a Sight First Center in Virginia, where the lenses and frames are refurbished, graded, cataloged, and prepared for shipment to needy people around the world. Collection boxes can be found at the Blackstone Memorial Library, Dr. James Mendillo's office, Dr. Brian Lynch's office, Dr. Ronald Bailey's office, The First Baptist Church, St. Elizabeth's Church, T&J's Market in East Haven and the East Haven Town Hall.
