On August 24 the Forest Lions Club transformed the auditorium at Forest Elementary School into a children’s vision screening clinic for the morning.
They do this at select local schools each year so that students can receive their required eye screenings free of charge. This is an annual event that Lions Club members look forward to and some volunteers were at the school as early as 7 a.m. ready to get going.
By offering these vision screenings each year the volunteers help the children of Forest Municipal School District and Scott County School District determine if they need to be referred to an optometrist for a full vision examination. The Mississippi Department of Education requires that all kindergarteners be screened within 30 days of the first day of school, and by the Lions Club stepping up to help they are able to accomplish in a couple of hours what would normally take days or weeks.
The Lions Club does not stop at just offering their time and performing the free eye screenings. If it is determined that a child in need requires a full eye exam the club will assist the family with paying for both the eye exam and getting the child a pair of glasses.
“We offer the eye screenings each year to schools in Scott County and if a child needs to visit the doctor and cannot afford it we assist them with the cost of the exam and getting a pair of glasses,” said Lions Club president Drew Evans. “For children being able to see is such a important part of learning in the classroom and we want to make sure that all kids that need glasses have them to give them every opportunity to succeed in the classroom.”
Forest Municipal School District nurse Odena McBride says the Lions Club volunteers are a tremendous help and that she is extremely thankful for their time and assistance. “MDE requires that all kindergarteners have their eyes and ears screened within the first 30 days of school, and we screen the children every other year, so we will be screening second-graders and fourth-graders to,” McBride explains. “I cover the elementary school, middle school and high school so when the volunteers come in and help me get done in a couple of hours what would have taken days it is really a big help.”
Evans, and the club volunteers, are always happy to help the children of the local school districts and only wish they could offer free screenings to every school each year. Since they can’t, they alternate schools throughout the county so they can help all of the schools in the county. Evans said, “If we had the capability we would offer screenings to all the local schools every year, but due to limitations that is just not possible, so we work hard to spread it out each year so we are able to help all Scott County schools.”
The MDE required vision screenings for the children just beginning school and every other year for the remaining elementary school students are so important. All to often a child may be having vision problems and this can easily go unnoticed or recognized by teachers and parents. The children may not even realize they are having a problem seeing so they do not know to tell their parents or their teachers. Because of the screenings each year, students don’t find themselves attempting to do their best in school while being hindered by poor vision.
The support from the Lions Club accompanied by the proactive approach taken by both SCSD and FMSD allows the children to get the vision help they may need as quickly as possible. “This community outreach program provided by the Lions Club is truly a blessing to all the schools in the county, I just wish I could have them here every year,” said McBride. “They do such a wonderful job with the kids and are always there to help the children that need assistance the most.”
“We do our absolute best to ensure that every child that needs their vision checked or needs a pair of glasses get exactly what they need without being overburdened by cost,” Evans said. “The Forest Lions Club wants to do everything in our power to give every child in Scott County the best chance to succeed.”
