Our motto is "We Serve"

On Veterans' Day 2008 our program was not ABOUT veterans -- it was FOR veterans in our community.  Lionism is, afterall, about helping in our communities.  Twelve local veterans attended. 

At our program that evening the Vision Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator from our local Veterans' Administration Hospital spoke about the vision services available to veterans.  The VIST Coordinator's role is to help those veterans with vision impairment get access to the several vision related services of the VA . 

Veterans with 'low vision' (from conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, injury, etc) are provided the devices and skills training they need to better cope with the vision loss.  If they also happen to have an additional disability such as hearing loss, the VIST Coordinator facilitates getting them on a speedier track since, as we were told that night, no veteran who has given so much to his or her country should have to cope with such multiple disabilities alone.   

Southeastern Pennsylvania is served by two VIST Coordinators:

Coatesville VA: Michelle Focht   Phone:   610-384-7711  ext 3929                    

Philadelphia VA:  Geroge Stillwell  Phone:     215-

Five of the veterans pictured above are Paoli Berwyn Malvern Lions; the other seven veterans were invited to join us for a meal before the evening program.  

Lions are an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 205 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world.