History of the
Lions Club of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
The Club was chartered on 14
September 1987 with 38 charter members. The first President was Charlie
Sedgewich. Currently, the Club has some 52 members.
Over the years, a total of 189
members have been inducted into the Club. Of the original charter members,
only one remains; that being Past-President John Stein, who was elected
President in 1989.
Past-President Dorothy Sedgewich was
the first woman President of a Lions Club in the country of Mexico. She
served two terms. Other Presidents were: Mike Barron, Hope Harmon, Russ
Archibald, Christiana Shuell, Tom Hewitt, Jack Sullivan (4 terms), Ellen
Gary (3 terms), and our current President John Carper (serving his 2nd
term).
Eye Clinic
The first Eye Clinic was held in
January 1992 in the current clinic space. which was used as both a Clinic
and a Club House. The examination chair was donated by the Coo's Bay,
Oregon Lions Club and was shipped to San Antonio, TX, then transported to
San Miguel by Lions Bill Gibson and Jack Sullivan. Other equipment
followed. In 1992, Optometrist (and Honorary Lion) Alberto Carrera became
our resident Optometrist, and 14 years later, he continues to serve the Club
in that capacity. Jack Sullivan was the clinic director from 1992 to 1998,
followed by Jim Risko in 1998, Wes Lawton in 2005, and Chuck Yeager in
2007. Through 2005, the club has conducted 11,095 eye examinations and had
dispensed 10,154 pairs of glasses. There are some 35,000 pairs of glasses
available for distribution.
In addition to the Eye Clinic
operations, the Club operated a Diabetes Awareness Program during 1994-95.
A Diabetes Testing program was added back
into the operations in late 2005.
Although the primary purpose of the
Eye Clinic has been to test disadvantaged Mexicans for their eye needs and
dispensing glasses to fit these needs, the Clinic has also been conducting
Pterygium examinations. Since 1999, the Temple Foundation has been
partnering with the Lions Club in this program, and has been paying for the
surgical and medical fees, doctors fees, and equipment costs for Pterygium
operations. To date, there have been 156 surgeries for Pterygium;
The program was expanded in 2001 to
include other sight-saving surgeries for children. Since then, there have
been 20 surgeries for strabismus (crossed-eyes); and 9 surgeries for tumors
and ingrown eyelashes. Honorary Lion Member Bobbie Aiken, President of the
Temple Foundation, has been instrumental in this success.
Although there have been 170
surgeries to date, the waiting list is quite extensive and funding has been
limited. In the spring of 2006, The Temple Foundation is unfortunately
ceasing its operations in Mexico. The Club is searching for other funding
avenues.
Lions
International
As of 1 January 2005, LIONS CLUB
INTERNATIONAL had 1,347,214 members in 46,020 Clubs in 745 Districts in 193
Countries and geographic areas. Lions is the world's largest service
organization; with a Mission Statement as follows:
" TO CREATE AND FOSTER A SPIRIT OF
UNDERSTANDING AMONG ALL PEOPLE FOR HUMANITARIAN NEEDS BY PROVIDING VOLUNTARY
SERVICES THROUGH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION."
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