Before the Bowmanstown-Parryville Lions Club meeting on June 17, District Governor Don McConnell and Earl Reabold were talking about the KIDSIGHT screenings program that detects defects in the eyes of even very young children who need to see an optometrist.

The first year they tested 1,000 children, the second year 2,000 and then 3,500. This year they are over 4,000 already. The Lions will be set up at the Carbon County Fair.

Parents have said, “It’s amazing. I didn’t know my child might need glasses.”

McConnell said he knew of one case where a young baby got glasses, and he was surprised at the look on her face when she could see properly.

He said Lions International has its first female president, Gudrun Yngvadottir, who is from Iceland. He described her as “a rare commodity who sat at meetings with English speakers to learn the language.”

Scholastic Achievement Awards were presented to four area students. They were Maria Burits from Palmerton Area High School, who will be going to Cedar Crest College to study political science; Jordyn Zwetolitz from Lehighton High School who has an associate degree from LCCC and will go to DeSales in the fall to study to be a physician assistant; and Teegan Green who is from Palmerton and studied carpentry at CCTI. He was a winner in Skills USA and is going to LCCC for engineering. Another CCTI graduate is Jonathan Rehrig, who is going to study heating, ventilation and air conditioning and then join his father in the family business.

Each student received a certificate and $500 check. The high school awards were presented by Larry Engle, and CCTI awards were presented by Lyle Augustine.

McConnell installed the officers for 2019-20. They are Norman Engle Jr., president; Loraine Neal, first vice president; Jessica Bumberger, second vice president; Jean Smith, third vice president; Ruth Augustine, secretary; Wayne Engle Sr., treasurer; William Ravert, assistant treasurer; Ronald Engle, lion tamer; Brandon Snyder, tail twister; and Kathy Nunnemacher, chaplain.

He said they were taking on a lot of volunteer responsibility. Once you accept the title, you have a job. There are funds to gather and distribute to help the community.

“I appoint you as officers,” he said.

Three members of the Parryville Fire Company came to receive a $900 check. They were Tom Kobal, Monica Kunkle and Jay Homm.

Lyle Augustine was honored for the many new members he sponsored. He received a certificate of appreciation and a 100 Anniversary pin.

McConnell said there are two separate organizations: the Lions Club International and the Lions Club International Foundation. All financial matters must go back to the public. This year $1 million went to help flooding in Texas and a half million to flooding in Florida. The foundation gave $20,000 to Pine Grove, which returned $250, and bought two cameras for the vision program. He said more money came into the states than went around the world. It impacts many lives.

Larry Engle presented the Melvin Jones award to Heather Zellner and Gene Rehrig (posthumously). His wife Lois accepted the award with son Randy and daughter Beverly Schmidt.

Engle said it was the 37th presentation since the club formed in 1977.

“These people work hard at festivals and chicken dinners and other events,” he said.

New recipients of the Lions Pennsylvania Foundation Award are Ray Nunnemacher, Albina Engle, Jean Smith and Kathy Nunnemacher.

President Kathy Nunnemacher said she had three generations of her family who were Lions. They were Ray Nunnemacher, Heather Zellner, Viola Steigerwalt and herself.

As outgoing president Nunnemacher said they had learned about giving since they were children. The charter document was on a table at the front of the room. She said it was a fun year of service events with egg hunts, block shoots, screening eyes, buying Brady Buggies for hospitals (wagons used instead of wheelchairs to take kids to therapy because they can move around, can play and are more comfortable).

New President Norman Engle Jr. presented her with flowers and said, “We want you to keep coming.”