Lions of IL Foundation 50th Anniversary

Lions Clubs Founded in 1917

In 1923 challenged by Helen Keller to Knight of the Blind

The Lions of Illinois Blind Activities Committee was founded in 1952.

• Committee founded by 5 Lions.
  • Funding started with their own money.
• Fundraising started out with street corner donations.
  • giving away White Cane Pins
  • Initially Grants to
    • Hadley School for the Blind
    • Leader Dog
  • Gave out Cracker Jack from 1957 to 1959
• Partnered to provide Mobile Glaucoma unit.
  • Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
  • 11 Ran from 1965-1969 screening 7,973 people
  • Run By LIBAC After 1969.

Candy Day officially began in 1960.

• Street Corner and Door to Door Donations
• First Rolls of Candy in Lions branding.
• Would grow and raise $379,000 in 1972 to donate to
  • Hadley School for the Blind
  • Leader Dog
  • Camp Lions
  • Dialogue
  • Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Camp Lions was founded in 1957.

• The camp started for Visually Impaired
  • Quickly expanded to include hearing impaired.
• The camp was run by a separate committee.
  • Received grants from LIBAC.
• Camp Ravenswood
  • One Site for one week.
• Little Grassy Lake Camp Second Site in early 1970’s
  • One week of camp

Lions of Illinois Foundation

Created by Vote at State Convention in May 1974

Began Operating on July 1st of 1974.

To create one Organization

• That managed Lions Programs Statewide
• That focused on fundraising for all programs.
• Created a tax-exempt charity.

LIF: Candy Day

Candy Day Becomes LIF Fundraiser in 1974

• Second Weekend in October
• Would grow to over $BOOK as foundation Fundraiser.

LIF: Camp Lions

Camp Lions becomes LIF Program in 1974

• Remains a free Camp.
• Would grow to be three camp sites.
  • North, Central, south
  • Red Leaf, Ingleside, IL
  • East Bay, Hudson, IL
  • Camp Dubois, Dubois, IL
• Would become 5 weeks of camp.
• Special weeks
  • Hard of Hearing
  • Youth Blind/Low vision week
  • Helen Keller week

LIF: Mobile Screening Units

Mobile Screening Units started in 1974.

Originally

• Mobile Glaucoma Screening
• Mobile Hearing Screening

Now

• Mobile Retinal Screening
• Mobile Hearing Screening
• New Combined Unit Replacing old hearing units.
  • Funded with a grant from LCIF.
  • Currently Being Built
• Childrens Handheld screening
  • New Hearing equipment with grant from LCIF.

LIF: Student Low Vision Screenings

• In 1976 Partner with Illinois School for the Visual
• Jacksonville Low Visions Screening
• Added Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind in 1991.
• Added Spectrios Institute for Low Vision in 1991.

LIF: Recycling

Glasses

• Sorted for value and reuse.
• Reusable Plastic Glasses go overseas.

Hearing Aids

• Refurbished Hearing aid Bank with UIC.

Other items

• Cell Phones
• Keys and Key fobs
• Pop Tabs
• Sneakers

Lions of Illinois Foundation Endowment Fund

Created in 1983
Converted to Trust in 1997

Lions of Illinois Eye Research Institute

• New building on UIC Campus
• Lions of Illinois raised $5 million
  • From 1978 to 1984
• Finished and dedicated in June 1985