By Lion Wayne Marr, Chair
For the 2015-2016 year, your Damascus Lions Club provided financial assistance to seven Damascus and Clarksburg citizens so that they could receive eye examinations and/or purchase glasses. Two individuals are still awaiting their glasses. The other five were assisted at a total cost to our club of $642.18.
We help needy citizens obtain eye appointments and glasses if they reside in the Damascus/Clarksburg area and they can explain why they need financial assistance from our club. Individuals from outside our Damascus/Clarksburg area are referred to other Lions clubs. Our club helps in three ways:
1) if the individual receives Medicaid and does not have a current eyewear prescription, we refer him/her for an eye examination with an optometrist that accepts Medicaid. Medicaid pays for the appointment. Then, with the new prescription, we send him/her to Eyeballs in Damascus to be fitted for glasses. Eyeballs bills the Lions Club directly for the glasses.
2) if the individual does not receive Medicaid and does not have a current eyewear prescription, we refer the individual to Mt. Airy Eyecare Center for both an eye examination and glasses. Mt. Airy Eyecare bills the club directly.
3) if the individual has a current prescription and just needs glasses, we refer him/her to Eyeballs. Eyeballs bills the club directly.
Mt. Airy Eyecare Center and Eyeballs provide our club with reduced pricing. For eyewear, they often just charge us for the costs they incur from their suppliers.