Guest:  Hannah

Topic:  North Buffalo Community Lions Club

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Hannah, President of the North Buffalo Community Lions Club and your host is yours truly Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program, Hannah.

Guest:  Thank you for having me.

Host:  It's our pleasure. You're here with us today because you have an exciting event, open to people in the community coming up but first I'd like to ask some things about your club. Although there have been other North Buffalo and Hertel Avenue clubs in that neighborhood in the past, you filled a vacuum in creating your club about three years ago, is that correct?

Guest:  Yes it is.

Host:  So, you're one of the new and exciting developments in the Lions frontier, you might say, and we're glad that you're there serving the community. And you're here to tell us about the St. Patrick's Day social, which involves a lot of people from the community who are visually impaired, what can you tell us about it?

Guest:  Our social is going to be on March 10, it's a Tuesday. It's going to be starting at 6:30 p.m. at the North Buffalo Community Center. It's right there on Sanders Road, and it's just going to be a nice little get together, nothing fancy. We're going to have some pizza, wings, just a couple of side snacks, and it's just a great way for those in the community who might not get a chance to get out and socialize or celebrate some of these fun events that we have in Buffalo and just give them a safe place to engage with other individuals in the area that they might not know, and just overall have a great St. Patrick's Day event.

Host:  I gather that you're reaching out to people with visual impairments in the North Buffalo community?

Guest:  Yeah, so anyone who is visually impaired or legally blind, this event is perfect for you guys. We will offer transportation as needed. If you're interested in coming, we can give you our contact information and we can set up transportation, or if you already have a driver of your own or your own transportation, you can let us know that way too, so we're also watching outside the building for you guys to come in. It's a very handicap accessible building, which we love. So, it's easy access and transportation will be provided back home as well.

Host:  I presume there's no charge to attend?

Guest:  No, it is free to the community there for those individuals, like I said we would just like to get to know those in our communities that are visually impaired and just let them know that we're here to help them, and to just have some fun.

Host:  Is it necessary for participants to register in advance so you know how to have enough food and such?

Guest:  Yes, like I said at the end of the show, we can give you that information. And you can call, leave a voicemail, and let us know that you would like to attend, and we'll call you back to confirm all the information with you, so calling back in advance would be greatly appreciated, just so we can get numbers for the food and drinks and etc.

Host:  Terrific. For the benefit of people that don't know that much about the Lions Club, assisting people with sight impairments has long been a priority of the Lions, has it not?

Guest:  It has, and it goes right back to Helen Keller who was very famous. For those who don't know her, she was deaf and blind, and back in 1925 she attended the Lions Club International Convention and challenged the Lions to become the knights of the blind and the crusade against darkness. So ever since then we really took off and focused on helping those who are visually impaired, and also help us understand, you know that not everyone has vision and at times it can be difficult, so it helps us understand, and just really just help each other out.

Host:  Hannah, where can people call to get more information or to register for this event?

Guest:  The phone number is going to be 716-836-2154 and you can ask for Frank, who is also helping us out to run these events.

Host:  Thanks so much for being with us, Hannah.

Guest:  You're welcome, thank you.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Hannah, the President of the North Buffalo Community Lions Club, and your host was yours truly, Ernie Churchwell.