A volunteer-run program is helping children throughout Renfrew County to get assessed for the vision care they need for success. Above: Audrey Cormack, of the Beachburg Lions, works with a student. (Photo submitted)
Since 2024, the Killaloe and Area Lions Club has run a Vision Screening Program that visits area schools and tests students’ vision to see which of them may need glasses without realizing it. The program was inspired by activities of Lions Clubs in Ottawa that have been doing this for years about 10 years.
The tests require about $9,000 worth of equipment, which the Lions raised with local events including last year’s Tour de BeaverTails® bike rally.
“We do three different tests,” said the Club’s President, Jim Homer, who has championed the project from the start. “It takes three to five Lions to do a school, depending on the population of the school. With five Lions, we can do over just 200 kids a day.”
Eight other Lions Clubs in Renfrew County are getting involved in this program, “So we can do all the public and Catholic elementary schools in the county by June 1st 2026.”
To date, the Lions have done 11 schools and 1595 kids. “We are running around 25 percent with referrals to an optometrist,” says Jim Homer.
“All the Lions and I feel great about the program and it is rewarding to help out the schools and kids,” he says. “The kids are great to work with. Teachers and principals are happy we are coming through the schools.”
“The program is incredibly valuable because it helps ensure all students can see clearly, which supports both their learning and overall well-being,” according to Killaloe Public School’s principal, Jude Kelley. “When students have the vision tools they need, they are better able to engage, participate, and succeed.” Screening every student, she says, “ensures no student slips through the cracks.”
She and her teachers feel, “Overwhelmingly positive” about the program. “It’s a fantastic service that promotes equity and access for all students and families. We deeply appreciate the volunteers, their dedication, professionalism, and care were outstanding.”