CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Fight Blindness with SCO Lions Club

Published on January 27, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings hockey team is preparing to highlight the works of the Lions Club - Southern College of Optometry (SCO) chapter during the RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ January 28 game in Southaven against the Bloomington PrairieThunder.

While Southern College of Optometry (SCO) was founded in 1932 and Lions International was founded in 1917, the SCO chapter is fairly new, having been founded a mere 7 years ago.

"During my 1st year of optometry school I joined the SCO Lions Club," said Amy Slama, SCO Lions President. "I enjoy helping people and individuals in need."

One way SCO Lions help locally is to provide exams and eyeglasses each month to an individual or family in need.

"Just last semester I was working in the optical clinic and one of our Lions recipients came in after their exam to pick out glasses," Slama said. "We exchanged stories and I got to see first-hand how we are helping the community."

Other chapters of Lions Clubs have helped by funding students in the SVOSH (Student Volunteers in Optometric Service to Humanity) club at SCO to organize and participate in eye medical care missions to other countries. Lions Clubs in the receiving areas supplied and arranged lodging, hospitality and clinic areas for the students to care for villagers.

"My group traveled to Villahermosa, Mexico and provided eye care to individuals in need, thanks to funding from Lions Clubs around the country," Slama said. "Over 800 eye exams were performed, and glasses that we had collected in the States were distributed to those individuals. The Lions Club International members in Villahermosa were the individuals that housed and fed us and the glasses/sunglasses that we distributed to the individuals in need were collected from Lions Clubs.

"Being involved through Lions in the Memphis and SCO community, I feel I have been able to give back to others, the school, and the profession all while growing myself. Community involvement is important and something that I have always been passionate about.

"Lions Club is International, does so much good and is something I want to be a part of. Lions Club represents the views I have toward service, and I hope to continue to serve in the future."

The SCO Lions sponsor Lions Club Sight Vans and a Peace Poster scholarship contest for middle school students, host entertainment book sales, sell Christmas Pecans and Candy Grams, and currently are selling Mississippi RiverKings tickets as fundraisers.

To purchase tickets or get involved with the Southern College of Optometry Lions Club, contact Amy Slama at aslama@student.sco.edu.

The Mississippi RiverKings are supported by their community partners, season ticket holders, fans, and by program-related investments of the Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Miss. To find out more about the RiverKings, call 662.342.1755 or visit www.riverkings.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Central Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central