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Staff Intern HAMPEN - After a lengthy wait, the Hampden Lions Club finally has their very own Eye Mobile. "The Eye Mobile is a large motor home with an actual optometrist's office inside it," Rick Green, a Lions Club member, told Reminder Publications. "We are actually the last district out of five to get an Eye Mobile," Green said. "We finally bought it in July 2005 and are still stocking it." Green said the Mobile can do eye exams as well as hearing exams. Arthur Thomas, another Lions Club member and the one mainly responsible for bringing an Eye Mobile to the Lions Club, said the Mobile is not yet fully functional. "We still have equipment to get, and the hearing booths are the most expensive to get, so we are getting those last," he said. "It costs $65,000 in equipment to get the Mobile started, but we raised $60,000 last weekend through a fundraiser, so we aren't too far away," Thomas said. Thomas said the RV itself cost $150,000. "We have been raising funds for the last three years, and began planning funds for this in 1998, when we first expressed interest in it," he said. "The Lions Club raised $75,000 and the rest of the money was given through donations," Thomas said. "We are definitely doing eye screening tests this spring." Thomas said Winnebago the company the Lions Club bought the Eye Mobile from originally quoted the RV at $185,000. "We told them all we had was $150,000, and they were generous enough to sell it to us for that price," he said. Green and Thomas both said the Eye Mobile is offering free eye and hearing exams. "This vehicle is not a trophy," Green said. "It's there for a need, and we want people to use it." Green said one of the primary goals for the Lions Club is to raise money for eye awareness. Thomas said the Eye Mobile will also offer blood pressure tests in addition to the eye and hearing tests. "If we find anything in any of the screenings that needs attention, we will notify the person to seek medical advice," Thomas said, adding that a person does not have to be a professional doctor to perform the screenings. "The screenings are designed so anyone can run them," he said. Thomas said the Eye Mobile is open to any Lions Club in the area and available to others upon request. Green and Thomas both said the Eye Mobile is going to be on display throughout the Pioneer Valley this spring in order to get the word out on the vehicle. Thomas said the Eye Mobile is available for year round use and is being housed at Diamond RV Centre in Hatfield. "They are housing it generously at no cost to us," Thomas said. Thomas said the Lions Club is always accepting donations for the Eye Mobile. Contributions can be sent to P.O. Box, 411 Hampden, 01036. | ||||||
