District Projects

Seventy-eight years ago, the president of the Peoria, IL Lions Club, George A. Bonham, started the idea of using a white cane with a red band at its base as a way to make the cane used by the blind more recognizable and to make it a unique way of emphasizing the users special need for travel consideration among the sighted majority. Today White Cane laws are on the books of every state in the Union as well as many other countries, providing blind people a legal status in traffic.

In 1964 the Lions Clubs of Tennessee started a non-profit venture, White Cane, whose sole function is to raise funds in the clubs' communities to make possible projects that are effective in sight conservation and that aid the visually impaired. District 12-I distributes gifts to White Cane among the following projects:

TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: Serves Pre-K-12 students who are blind and visually impaired from all across the State of Tennessee.  TSB provides information, education, counseling and technical assistance to families as well as children. The Lions Tennessee School for the Blind Fund provides a student work program, a low vision assistance program, summer enrichment programs, funding for Boy & Girls Scouts, and a personal gift to each student at Lions Day At TSB the second Friday in December.  http://www.tnschoolfortheblind.org/

LEADER DOGS FOR THE BLIND: A non-profit organization in Rochester, MI. dedicated to providing the means for safe and independent travel of the blind. Over 12,000 Leader Dogs have been trained in obedience, in dealing with traffic and confusing situations such as crowds or revolving doors. As many as 300 students a year enroll in the 25 day live-in program free to the student. Breeding and puppy programs, GPS and computer skills are also available.  http://www.leaderdog.org/ 

MIDDLE TENNESSEE LIONS SIGHT SERVICE: Provides financial assistance to folks in Districts 12-I and 12-5, who do not qualify for other resources, in obtaining vision related medical treatment in designated hospitals. They must be sponsored by a Lions Club and accepted for service by MTLSS. There is a special account for children from birth to age 18 and another for Low Vision assistance; http://www.lions12s.org/MTLSS/Default.aspx

ED LINDSEY INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND: A sheltered workshop employing around 50 blind adults and some sighted people for tasks more detailed than the making of chin straps, mops, and brooms, the last two of which can be purchased by Lions Clubs at a special rate for fund raising. There is also a Thrift Store on site.  For more information about ELIB, please visit http://elifortheblind.org/

LIONS WORLD SERVICES FOR THE BLIND: A rehabilitation center in Little Rock, AR to teach independent living or job training skills. Includes a personal adjustment center for those with adult onset of blindness, vocational training, job placement assistance and a college prep course. http://www.lwsb.org/

RECORDINGS FOR THE BLIND AND DYSLEXIC: National non-profit education library for people with print disabilities. TN studio in Oak Ridge records mostly educational material for students in kindergarten through graduate school http://www.rfbd.org/UNITS_TN_home.htm