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Middlebury And Vergennes Lions Team Up To Expand KidSight

photo by provided 4,000th child screened, Jacob Medici, Williston Central School with Randy Bigelow from the Middlebury Lions Club.

Tuesday November 28, 2017

This year the Middlebury and Vergennes Lions teamed up to try to expand their KidSight efforts throughout Addison County schools and day care centers.
    Last year was the first year that the clubs had joined the Lion’s statewide effort to provide free vision screening for youths aged 6 months through early adulthood. The Lions were pleased to serve 1,341 individuals in that first year effort.
    This year word spread – dramatically. With an initial goal to serve 2,000 individuals throughout Addison County during the month of October 2017 the clubs finally turned over their screening equipment   having served 4,256 individuals.
    Even more importantly they have seen the success of their efforts.  In Shoreham a developmentally challenged child who had never successfully been screened, showed up for his screening this year with new glasses…and couldn’t be parted from them!  Another child remarked “thanks to you I got these”.
    Word spread so widely that the clubs were asked to screen children outside of Addison County and spent the second half of October screening kids from Monkton, Hinesburg, Shelburne, and all the way up to Williston.
    Throughout the 34 Lions clubs in Vermont they have already screened more than 14,000 kids since July of this year.
    Vermont Lions charities purchased four of the cameras (~$10,000) each to share throughout the 34 clubs of Vermont.  Imagine the expense to taxpayers if schools decided they needed to have their own… the state has already provided grants for several Vermont regions to get “their own” screening cameras.  
    Is it “better” than the school nurses using the Snelling chart?  Talk to the nurses…they will share their views.
    Is it reliable?  Again talk to the nurses.  Nurse Amber McDonald at Mary Hogan has feedback from her results last year.
    What “message” do the Lions want to get out there?  While we have been extremely successful gaining access to local K-12 schools, the device has the most benefit for infants aged 6 months through Kindergarten. That’s because early detection of vision issues can be corrected while the child is still young.  After age 7 most vision issues are permanent.  Parents should encourage their day are provider to host a vision screening by the lions next October. 80% of learning is visual!!!!
    For more info go to www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/middleburyvt/page-9.php for  Middlebury Lions KidSight, vermontlions.org/club-toolbox/19-kidsight for Vermont Lions KidSight and lionskidsightusa.org/ for the KidSight USA page.

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