Lorain Lions Roar: DISTRICT 13-B LIONS DEDICATE VISION CLINIC AT LORAIN COUNTY HEALTH & DENTISTRY

Thursday, November 14, 2013

DISTRICT 13-B LIONS DEDICATE VISION CLINIC AT LORAIN COUNTY HEALTH & DENTISTRY

Stephanie Wiersma, President & CEO of Lorain County Health & Dentistry, welcomes Lions to LCH&D and adds“Joining forces with the Lions made our vision clinic possible. The Lions mission to improve sight and prevent blindness perfectly matched our interest in improving access to vision care for those we serve. Their fund-raising efforts are second to none. We couldn’t have opened this vision clinic without their help and support.”

PCC/PDG and 1st VDG Jeff Hillis, PDG Dick Temple, Lorain Lion Bruce Meadows and District Chaplain Dennis Henkel listen to opening remarks of CEO Wiersma.

Ohio Lions MD 13 Council Chair Forrest "Woody" Conrad thanks Lions for their three years of hard work to make the Vision Clinic a reality. Lion Dr. John R. Smith, Vision Clinic Project Coordinator, Dr. Joyce Ramsue-Thompson and LCH&D CEO Wiersma are seated behind him.

Lorain Lion Bruce Meadows talks about the huge challenge he felt at the beginning of the project when he saw the fundraising goal go from $150,000 to $254,000. Lion Bruce ended the program portion of the dedication with a benediction.

Lions MD 13 CC Woody, Doc Smith, Ken Cromer, Governor Francis Hensel, Lorain City Mayor Chase Ritenauer, Dr. Ramsue Thompson, Stephanie Wiersma and Todd Tilberg join in the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Happy faces indicate the mood of the celebration.

CC Woody Conrad poses next to the commemorative plaques.

Stephanie Wiersma, Optometric Tech Megan Hohman and MD 13 LCIF chair Sharon Parker were looking at the picture taken in September 2012 at the Lions VIP Tour of the LCH&D construction/renovation project.

District Cabinet Treasurer Dan Stone and Zone 3 Chair John Straziuso, member of the Vision Clinic Project Committee, chatting during the clinic tour.

PCC/PDG Jeff Hillis thanks Mayor Ritenauer for his support of the project.

Elyria Lion Kyle Parker, MD 13 LCIF Chair Sharon Parker and Lorain Lion Walter Frey at the Dedication.

Lion Myron Amstutz, OLERF chairman, PCC/PDG Sharon Parker get a demonstration of the eyeglasses frame dispensary.

Ev Shonkwiler, Treasurer of the District 13-B Philanthropic Fund, Myron Amstutz, OLERF Chairman and PDG Ron Lutz, President of the District 13-B Philanthropic Fund look over some of the state-of-the-art optometric equipment.

CC/PDG Forrest Conrad and PCC/PDG Stan Kopf get an explanation of how a piece of equipment is used with patients at the Vision Clinic from Lion Dr. John Smith.

Ev Shonkwiler, Bill Wolford, Myron Amstutz and Bruce Meadows enjoy some refreshment and discuss the Vision Clinic project.

PDG Dana Zody and PDG Dick Temple at the commemorative plaques: in the top plaque, LCH&D thanks the Lions of District 13-B, LCIF, Nord Family Foundation, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Norton Family Foundation, and the Enterprise Foundation. In the one on the left District 13-B "thanks its clubs, its members, its friends and the Foundations that made this project possible." The plaque on the right acknowledges the financial support by Lions Clubs International Foundation that made the project possible.

District 13-B Cabinet Tail Twister Lion Greg Hess stands by the plaque that was provided through his efforts.

Dr. Joyce Ramsue-Thompson (right) explains how the equipment in the exam rooms works to touring Lions.

Lions listen intently to the explanation of the exam room equipment.

Stephanie Wiersma with Dr. David Miller, retinal surgeon with Retina Associates of Cleveland, Inc. Dr. Miller is a Lorain native and is interested in the work of the LCH&D Vision Clinic.