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Project in Western North Carolina Disaster Area

The purpose of this project is to offer families of WNC impacted by Hurricane Helene assistance in vision health at a time in which vision health may not be an immediate concern of their recovery. Our partners feel that by offering this service it may allow these families an opportunity to take advantage of this service and assist them in a small financial way in recovering to a state of normal family life.

This is a vision project in which a partnership of seven nonprofits join together to offer free vision assistance to residents of the Spruce Pine area which were impacted by Hurricane Helene in November of 2024. The project will be onsite at Mayland Community College on September 13th and again at Caldwell Community College on September 20th offering vision assistance. The project will have two segments one consisting of an adult screening with a Blood Pressure test, Glucose test, Optometric Pressure test, Refractor reading followed by an exam by a licensed Optometrist with a Portable Slit Lamp. The Optometrist will then review the collected information to determine if a further examination is needed. The other segment of the project will be for children up to age eighteen in which a Lion’s Certified screener will use a PlusOptix camera to determine if a further examination is needed.

For adults not referred to the IFB Mobile Exam Unit but in need of up-close vision assistance there will be available for them to a free pair of reader glasses distributed by a Lion volunteer furnished at no charge by IFB..

For adults and children recommended for further examination they will be directed to the IFB Mobile Examination Unit for a complete exam and prescription by a licensed Optometrist. Once the adult or child exits the IFB Mobile Exam Unit they will be met by a Lion’s Club representative who will offer financial assistance if needed. Persons needing assistance and meeting the guidelines will present their prescription form and application to the Lion representative who will give them a tracking form card in which they will receive a free pair of prescription glasses over the next three weeks at a designated site. .

With a normal referral rate of 15% the capacity of the project we expect to serve approximately 250 family members in the project length of eight hours.

Below are the partners of the project and the service they are contributing:

Good Samaritan Clinic; mobile screening unit for refractor exam and glucose testing along with free clinics in the area for referral of patients found to have other medical issues.
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute; support staff from their Ophthalmic Medical Program and their Watauga campus as location for the September 20th screening event.
Avery County Health Department; mobile examination unit for Optometric pressure and blood pressure testing along with their staff.
WNC Ruritans National; food truck for attendees and volunteers along with entertainment for attendees during their waiting time

Unifour Childrens Sight Program; logistics planning along with equipment to conduct the different screening processes
Dr Alan Winsett, NC Certified Optometrist; worked with the NC State Board of Examiners of Optometry for approval of the project along with local Optometrists to assist with the project during and after the project for follow up examinations.
Pastor Ryan Bridgeo, Plumtree Church; local Christian community liaison in helping to promote the program to those in most need.

Please donate to our cause today. NC Long View Lions Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
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