Lions and Leos star in video

(CNS): Local Lions and Leos were captured working in the community on both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac by a visiting film crew from Lions Clubs International. From beach clean-ups to tackling breast cancer and screening schoolchildren for eye defects, the Cayman Lions Family demonstrated some of the fine work they do for the people and places of the Cayman Islands.

The visitors were welcomed at the Lions Club of Grand Cayman Happy hour event on Friday 27 February, with gift bags donated by the Department of Tourism, where they were able to socialize with many Lions who were in attendance.

Early Saturday morning the group headed down to the Lions Swimming Pool to film a group of young swimmers training. Then it was off to Cayman Brac for a packed schedule that included filming a beach clean-up, a meeting with teachers to present school supplies, meeting with people who were affected by Hurricane Paloma, which hit Cayman Brac on 8 November 2008, distribution of relief supplies and interviews with several members of the Lions and Leos Clubs of Cayman Brac about different projects being tackled in that community.

Sunday saw the crew filming members of the Leos Club of Grand Cayman at the Public Beach on West Bay Road. The Leos was busy cleaning up the beach and painting some of the cabanas. Several members of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman turned out to help and the session ended with a barbeque. Once lunch was over, they headed up to North Side to visit Daniel Rankin, who was the grateful recipient of a new electronic wheelchair from the Lions Club of Grand Cayman. Their last stop for the day was to visit with the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens where they captured the work being done on the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ project at the Elmslie Memorial United Church Hall.

Their final day of filming started early with the Sight Screening project which was taking place at Pace High School – over 100 childrenwere screened for visual defects. They then visited the Lions Eye Clinic and met with Dr Pandit to discuss the work Lions do for sight in the community, and also to find out how Lions has helped the clinic by donations of much needed new equipment in order to carry out other operations; which will save community members from having to traveling overseas, and also saving them hundreds, or maybe even thousands of dollars.

The final stop in their whistle stop tour was the Mammogram Clinic where they met and interviewed the doctor, and met with some patients who were recipients of the Lions Mammogram vouchers at the Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital.

Lion John Ebanks, Council Chairperson of Lions Multiple District 60 played chaperone for the duration of the weekend. Lion John said, “It was a pleasure to have the crew here to be able to capture the great work that is carried out in our community by both Lions and Leos. This video will be used to showcase the work we do and to encourage others to join this wonderful service Organization.”

Lions Club of Grand Cayman President Tony Ritch added, “All members of these great service clubs were more than happy to participate in the filming. It was a fantastic opportunity to, not only showcase the community projects that we are all working on, but also our beautiful Islands.”