Last week started to feel chilly and fall-like here in Columbus, and the OSU Lion’s Club celebrated the season by hosting a soup and sandwich fundraiser for the first time. The event was well-attended, with students lining up after class for a turn to grill their own sandwich and help themselves to a variety of homemade soups.
The event was a “huge success,” says Club President and OSU third year Megan Hafner. It raised $365, which will offset costs for OSU students to volunteer next summer at Campabilities, a recreational sports camp located in Alaska that serves visually impaired and blind children. Jaime Etterling, a second year at the college, attended Campabilities last summer along with 4 other optometry students. She describes the week there as “busy and active,” consisting of activities like tandem biking, swimming, roller blading, rock climbing, archery, and hiking with the campers. During training, volunteers tried out all the sports with their eyes blindfolded to better understand their campers’ experiences. Interacting with the athletes at Campabilities was meaningful for Etterling. “It was amazing to see how much these kids don’t let their loss of sight hold them back,” she said. “Their athleticism and skill really shone through in all of the sports.” Serving as a sighted guide for the week taught her “to be very descriptive when communicating and guiding.” Her favorite part was watching the athletes “try new things such as jumping off the diving board or roller blading for the first time. . .to see how much they trust in themselves and how much fun they have in the process!”
The OSU Lions Club chapter was founded in the 90’s, and provides opportunities for optometry students to volunteer in the community and raise funds for various causes. Some of the causes are vision-related, such at Pilot Dogs Inc., which trains guide dogs for the sightless, and an organization that purchases white mobility canes for the blind and visually impaired. Other upcoming Lions Club activities may include making birthday cards for people in nursing homes, collecting box tops for a local elementary school, and writing thank you cards to veterans. Lions Club members come up with fun ways to raise funds, such as the Optometry Students v. Professors kickball tournament (which the professors are “really looking forward to” this year, says Hafner). Keep an eye out for all the Lions Club activities to come!
