Maryville College & Maryville Lions Club Partner to Turn Freshman Orientation Into Service for Blount County

On August 14, the Maryville Lions Club partnered with Maryville College and incoming first-year students for an afternoon of service that made an immediate impact across Blount County.

As part of Maryville College’s fall orientation, the students rolled up their sleeves and tackled two vision-focused projects.

First, they sorted approximately 2,000 donated eyeglasses collected by the Maryville Lions Club from our 18 eyeglass collection boxes throughout Blount County. Remarkably, those 2,000 pairs represent roughly one month of community donations. Sorting the glasses is an important step in preparing them for recycling and helping extend the useful life of eyewear that might otherwise be discarded.

The students also assembled more than 400 vision kits that will be distributed to residents at eight assisted living communities in Blount County. These kits are designed to provide practical vision-related items that can make everyday activities a little easier for older adults while also reminding residents that their community is thinking about them.

That is a lot of glasses and a lot of kits for one group of students, and they did a terrific job.

The service project is part of Maryville College’s fall orientation, which introduces incoming students not only to the college but also to the community they will call home. We love that approach. Service gives students an opportunity to meet people, learn about local needs, and discover that they can make a meaningful difference in Blount County from the very beginning of their college experience.

For the Maryville Lions Club, this partnership also supports our Vision-First mission. Protecting sight involves more than screenings and eye exams. It also means recycling eyeglasses, supporting seniors experiencing vision changes, educating the community, and bringing people together to help neighbors live more independently.

Thank you to all Maryville College students who gave their time and energy, and a special thank-you to fourth-year Bonner Scholarship students: Michel, Leilani, and Izzy for their leadership. Your work will reach people throughout Blount County, and we hope this is just the beginning of your connection to community service in Maryville.

Want to help make a difference close to home? Volunteering is a great way to meet people, build connections, learn more about your community, and experience the satisfaction that comes from helping someone else.

Learn more about the Maryville Lions Club and ways to get involved at https://www.maryvillelions.org.

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