Rotary awards grants
The Rotary Club of Kinston recently awarded grants to four organizations from money collected through its fundraising activities.
Representatives of the organizations receiving grants are Keith Sylvester, Partnership for Children of Lenoir and Greene Counties, $2,500 for its Reach Out and Read program; Theresa Williams and Deloies Lander of Young Women of Promise, $1,500 for its summer program; and Misty Marston and Patrick Holmes of the Boys and Girls Club of Lenoir County, $2,500 for computers in the club’s computer lab.
The Community Council for the Arts also was given a $500 grant to support its summer program.
Library to help teachers
GRIFTON — The Grifton Public Library, 568 Queen St., will offer an Educator Week the week of Aug. 19.
During library hours of 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. that week, any teacher can get free materials for classroom use, including National Geographic, Our State magazine, dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference material.
For more information, call 252-524-0345.
Kinston Host Lions take vision seriously
It always has been a part of the Lions Club International tradition to extend a helping hand to community members who need assistance.
Particularly, the Lions have given of their hearts and resources to help the blind and visually impaired.
An upcoming event sponsored by the Kinston Host Lions Club is visual proof of this commitment. The Club will sponsor free vision screenings from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kinston Community Health Center, 324 N. Queen St. The North Carolina Lions, Inc. Mobile Screening Unit will be on site, equipped with optometric technology, eye care professionals, social workers for the blind and Lions volunteers.
The project offers each participating Lions club in the state a chance to provide free vision screening in the community, and this means early detection of possible eye problems. Since many individuals do not have regular eye exams, the Host Lions Club is taking a major step in helping these and other individuals detect eye problems and prevent more serious ones.
These free screenings are not to be confused with complete eye examinations. No diagnoses are made on the van. When screening results indicate, the Eye Care Professional or Vision Van coordinator on hand will advise the individual of the need for a complete eye exam. All individuals who participate must be at least 18 years old or have parental permission.
Screenings will include a visual acuity test (how well the person can see), a field vision test (how well the person sees around him), a pressure check (for the possibility of glaucoma) and a check for cataracts.
Lions Club members will help with the screening process and will be collecting old eyeglasses. These can be recycled and given to visually impaired who cannot afford eyeglasses.
Brian Hoover, state coordinator of the project, will be part of the event. For more information, call 252-523-1019.