Thank you, Chandler!

The Chandler Lions Club wishes to thank the Chandler community for making their annual White Cane Day a huge success. Fourteen Lions braved "playing in the street" on the morning of 24 March 2007 to collect donations for this very important fundraiser.

Monies collected will be earmarked for "Campaign SightFirst II" (CSFII). International President Jimmy M. Ross (a rancher from Quitaque, TX) says that the success in this Lions' effort stems in part from the urgent need for CSFII. Estimates of the world's current blind population are 37 million.

If nothing is done, that number could inflate to more than 74 million by the year 2020. Already, the future is much brighter because of what Lions have achieved through their SightFirst programs. Since 1990, more than 24 million have been saved from vision loss.

Lions' SightFirst program, from its sight-saving surgeries and preventative treatments, to educational and research initiatives, improve lives. Lions throughout the world are taking the opportunity through CSFII to answer Helen Keller's call for Lions to serve as "Knights of the Blind."

"This was one of our most successful undertakings," said White Cane Chairman Lion Ron Boyda.