By Natalie Covher

The Natchitoches Lions Club met Monday, Aug. 15 at the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. Mimi Stoker led the prayer, Soni Sers led the pledge and Sophie Packerd led “When the Saints Go Marching In” on piano.

Members are preparing for the District 8-L Fall conference Saturday, Sept. 24 in Shreveport. Lion ID Jennifer Ware and her husband Jeff will be the International Guest from Rapid River, MI. The club is seeking auction items for the convention’s silent auction.

Certain members met last week for Cub Sight training. The club is getting a new camera to screen preschoolers for eye sight problems. The old camera only scanned one eye at a time but the new camera can scan both eyes at once, and with ease when compared to the old camera. This will come in handy next month when the club will scan children in Natchitoches and Red River Parishes.

Executive Director of Louisiana Lions Camp Ray Cecil was the guest speaker.

“The Louisiana club chapters have two obligations: the eye project and the camp,” said Cecil. “The Natchitoches chapter has certainly done their part. We would not be where we are without your contribution.”

The Natchitoches Lions Club has raised $27,897 in contributions this year and sponsored seven campers.

“We had a blowout fantastic summer at camp this year,” said Cecil. “I couldn’t have asked for more. We had 72 high school and college students working and 496 campers. There were no insurance claims and no accidents which is great because we want everyone to come to camp and have fun. The only downer is the finances.”

Cecil explained that the general fund used to operate the camp is dangerously low.

“This is a problem and it’s going to take every lion in the state to fix it,” said Cecil. “Things always seem to work out for us, the budget issue will work out too. We have too much sweat equity in this to give up now. Maybe we need to implement the Natchitoches method of going out there and raising money.”

Natchitoches Lions President Tina Regan surprised Cecil by announcing that the club decided to up their usual donation to the camp by $2,000 and presented him with a check for $6,000 for the Louisiana Lions Camp.

“Hats off to Natchitoches,” said Cecil.