News : Vinton Today: Helping to shape the perception of the Vinton community

The Vinton Lions heard about Vinton Today web site from Kurt Karr this week.

Don Eells and Kurt Karr speak about Vinton Today web site during Vinton Lions meeting March 31.

Lions listen to Vinton Today vision from Kurt Karr during meeting Tuesday.

For the past few years, Kurt Karr told the Vinton Lions Club on Tuesday, a young man who spent nearly a year in Vinton during the 2008 presidential campaign had been trying to tell his big city friends from another state about the small-town life in towns like Vinton.

But now, said Karr, that man can show people in his city the story of Vinton, as it is told via the Vinton Today web site.

Karr told the Lions about the history and goals of the Vinton Today web site during their weekly meeting at The Pizza Ranch. He described how the on-line news source relies on news from organizations such as the Lions Club to help spread the news about what is happening in Vinton.

"You have an chance to shape the perception of our community," he said.

Karr told the Lions about Vinton Today, and what the site seeks to offer. He encouraged the members to use the free classified section.

Vinton Today, said Karr, will be set up as a not-for-profit corporation and will rely on advertising revenue as well as donations for funding. He encouraged the Lions and other organizations to send their news regularly to the VInton Today staff so that readers from Vinton, and beyond, can learn about what those organizations are doing to help the community.

To share news with Vinton Today readers, email stories or photos to news@vintoniowa.org.

About the Vinton Lions Club

The Vinton Lions have approximately 85 members on their official membership rolls, and an average of 50 to 55 members attend the weekly meetings, held at noon at The Pizza Ranch, says President Don Eells.

Eells said the Lions and their familiar vests are seen at many events throughout the year.

"Probably we are most well-known for our funnel cakes trailer, which is at all footballl games and Party in the Park," said Eells. "Our most renowned product is our funnel cake. People like that and it has also turned into a good fund-raiser for us over the years. Years ago, Alan Woodhouse and Mike Elwick investigated funnel cake sales and the club took a bit of a risk but it's been a good thing."

Other Lions programs in the area include:

Kidsight, which involved several events throughout the year where Lions take photographs of children's eyes with a special camera that helps eye doctors determine potential eye or vision problems. "This is a real valuable service for parents," said Eeels. "We do about a half dozen events throughout the year, screening eyes for more than 100 children."

Another annual Lion project is the LIttle Viking wrestling tournament at the end of January, in conjunction with the Vinton Parks and Recreation Dept. "This is a good fund-raiser for both the Lions and Park & Rec, and our proceeds usually go toward VSHS Athletic Boosters," said Eells.

Approximately 155-160 wrestlers from kindergarten-8th grade from all over eastern Eowa and at times other states come to Vinton to compete

The Lions also have a long-standing partnership with the Iowa Braille and Sight-Saving School.

"We have always supported kids at the Braille School, said Eells. "Each year we hold a Christmas party for them, in a form of a lunch at the Country Club with Santa Claus. We meet with the kids and give them gifts. That's always been a lot of fun."

The Lions also work with Dr. Martin at Martin Eye Clinic to provide glasses for those who otherwise could not afford them. He will send the Lions a note when he prescribes glases for those who are eligible. Recently the Lions distributed 10 eyeglass receptacles around town where people can drop unused eyeglasses or hearing aids. Those get recycled throughout the state and redestributed, in most cases out of the country.

Lions are also are active supporters of leader dogs. They make donations to the leader dog program each year to provide training for dogs so they can be given to people who need them. The speaker next week at the Lions meeting will be Carol Jackson, a 1967 IBSSS graduate. He is involved in leader dog program in Michigan, and has been active in in other states, while also being successful in his career.

In addition to all of these annual activities, the Lions often help out with specific projects that vary year-to-year in the community.

"We generally about every week consider some kind of request for donations," said Eells. "We are not able to do everything but we do wind up supporting the efforts of lots of local organizations."

Lions Club Contact Information: Don Eells, President 472 3839

The Club meet every Wednesday at Pizza Ranch at noon. At times the Lions hold joint meetings with the Kiwanis Club when they schedule prominent speakers. We have some good-natured teasing and competetiveness between the two clubs, but it's the kind of thing that benefits the whole town, said Eells.