The Lions Community Centre – Roodepoort, was established in 1996 as a Zone Project in District 410B Region C, with a primary objective to serve the disadvantaged community with affordable health care. The major health care projects of Lions International are sight and the early detection of diabetes so preventing future sight problems.
The Centre was established as a result of the four Lions Clubs in the West Rand pooling their resources and the Roodepoort Municipality very generously offering them the use of the old Georgina Post Office building at 82 8th Avenue, Roodepoort North.
The Centre now boasts two fully equipped Optometrists’ testing rooms and a blood sugar level kit.
At present we operate with the help of five local Optometrists, who charge reduced fees to the patients we refer to them. Once the patient has been tested, they then return to the Centre with their prescription for their spectacles. At the Centre we then process the prescription following which it is sent to our Lions Bright Sight office, who make up the prescribed spectacles. The spectacles are collected and brought back to the Centre. We then phone the patient and request that they collect their spectacles. At present this whole process costs the patient R90.00 for one pair, and an additional R40.00 for a second pair (readers and distance), if required. However there are many instances where the patient cannot afford the cost of the spectacles. This is where the Lions Clubs involved in the Centre raise funds to cover such costs particularly in the case of those elderly patients who require very expensive prescriptions.
We also receive patients from Ondekkers Hospital. We have a Lions member, who is an Optometrist, and she regularly does field testing at local soup kitchens or at our Centre on a Saturday.
The Centre processes approximately 1000 prescriptions annually, the main constraint being finance. There are many more patients who cannot afford spectacles. The most critical problem area is in the schools, where poor eyesight is one of the main causes of poor educational results.
One of the most gratifying projects is to improve people’s sight, as it brings so much joy with a whole new clear and brighter perspective on life.
The Community Centre is being run by the following Lions Clubs in the Roodepoort area:
Lions Club of Weltevreden Park
Lions Club of Roodepoort Host
Lions Club of Florida
Lions Club of Wilro Park
Lions Club of Krugersdorp
To view a example of a glasses collection holder, click here.
Note: this is an Microsoft Excel file