Rural Missouri - July 2019 - 10

| COMMUNITY

Dennis Gragg of the Jefferson City Host Lions Club conducts a vision screening at the health fair during the Co-Mo Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting in May.

S C R E E N I N G FO R S I G H T
With co-op support, Lions' aim to help children see

by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop

Technician Dennis Gragg is a member of the Jefferson City Host Lions Club.
He was drawn to the volunteer effort after hearing the camera detected risk facor Mark Schaeperkoetter, tackling undiagnosed youth vision issues can be tors for amblyopia (lazy eye), including eyes that cross or wander, a condition
broken down to a numbers game. Backed by years of data, the Lions Club that afﬂicted his child. When administering a screening, his disarming tone
district governor knows that, on average, for every 100 children who receive readies the child. "I tell the kids it's a magic camera that's just going to take a
vision screening, approximately 10 will be referred to an optometrist. "Thirty picture of their eyes," he says.
While showing a child the results indicating they passed can be instant, it
percent of the referrals have serious enough eye problems that if not addressed
takes a little longer for the Lions' real work to manifest itself. "We'll come back
are going to cause impaired vision or future blindness," he says.
The issue for Mark and all Lions, however, is that for those 100 children to a place for a second time and one of the workers or teachers will tell us how
screened, 400 go without. This means 40 aren't referred and more than a good it was we found something in a student the previous year," Dennis says.
dozen could be facing problems in the future. "Our goal is to leave no child "They tell us the student has glasses now and is better behaved, does better in
unscreened. Right now we're leaving, with the current statistics, 80 percent school, more attentive and has less behavior issues. It's great to hear."
Each foundation raises money by rounding up participating members' elecunscreened and that's just absolutely unacceptable."
With the help of a pair of local electric cooperative community foundations, tric bills to the nearest dollar. A board of trustees comprised of community
Lions clubs are ensuring mid-Missouri children will have greater access to members then distributes the funds to worthy local causes.
Marisa Oehrke is the Operation Round Up coordinator for Co-Mo Cares.
needed vision screenings using a new, high-tech camera. The handheld, portable camera can quickly detect vision problems - ranging from poor eyesight She says their trustees have distributed more than $1.8 million toward local
causes since 1997, including the camera which also screened 46 children free
to astigmatism - in children as young as just 6 months old.
The Lions' dedication to sight-related service projects traces back to their of charge at Co-Mo's Annual Meeting in May.
"We knew this camera was going to be used to help a lot of children," she
1925 International Convention. Helen Keller spoke at the event and charged
the group with being the "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." says. "Especially children that maybe can't focus on an exam chart or it could
The new camera is shared between 38 local clubs that make up the Heart of help detect pre-existing eye problems in really young children early on."
Missouri Lions district. It was purchased with a pair of approximately $3,000
Three Rivers' Helping Hands Foundation has distributed more than $1.3 milgrants, one from Co-Mo Electric's Co-Mo Cares Trust to the Stover club and the lion in 15 years. Vicki Lange is the foundation coordinator and says their work
other from Three Rivers Electric's Helping Hands Community Founis reﬂective of cooperatives' roles in the community.
dation to the Chamois club. It is the ﬁrst camera dedicated
"One of the co-op principles is 'Concern for Community' and
solely to the district.
giving back," she says. "That's where the foundation comes
According to Mark, the need for screening is widespread.
in. We're able to help not only organizations that apply, but
The clubs offer free screenings up to the ﬁrst grade, usualso individuals that may need help.
ally in schools and day care centers. Screening teams
That sense of community and neighbors helping
are trained by the KidSight, an organization which also
neighbors is what stood out to Mark when applying for
It's so critical that we catch
handles the logistics of scheduling screenings and folthe grants.
it at a young age. Once
lowing up with referrals. Screenings for those in sec"The beautiful thing is the willingness of co-op
ond grade and older carry a nominal charge. "It's so
members to take a little bit of money and be able to
someone gets past that
critical that we catch it at a young age," Mark says.
turn it into something like this," he says. "The benev"Once someone gets past that age, the vision difﬁculolence of the individual co-op member is truly what a
age, the vision difficulties
ties can really advance."
cooperative is about, isn't it?"
can really advance.
Screenings last just a few seconds. Volunteer technicians sit 3 feet away from the children. The back of
For more information on the Heart of Missouri Lions
- Mark Schaeperkoetter
the camera features a smiling face indicating the perfect
Clubs visit them on Facebook. For more information on
spot for the child to gaze. Once the camera focuses on the
KidSight visit www.kid-sight.org. For more information on
pupils and takes a photo, the technician is immediately given
Co-Mo Cares visit www.co-mo.coop. For more information
a result of "pass" or "refer." KidSight provides detailed reports for
on the Helping Hands Foundation and Change for Life visit
referrals to give to their eye doctor.
www.threeriverselectric.com.

RURAL MISSOURI | JUNE 2019

http://www.kid-sight.org http://www.co-mo.coop http://www.threeriverselectric.com

Rural Missouri - July 2019

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