Class Note 1964
Issue
May - Jun 2017
In 2012 Ron Schram edited a book titled Generational Bridges to the World’s Troubles. It contained essays from members of our class as well as the class of 2014. This month’s Class Notes updates one of those essays from our classmate Harold Hauser Weiler, M.D., who continues to give back. I recommend you read Harold’s original essay to learn more about what brought him to the point he describes below.
“When I was stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital after finishing my ophthalmology residency at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland [now Water Reed Medical Center] in 1976, I became involved with the formation of a Lions medical eye bank and research center at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. After five years on the board of directors I was elected chairman of the board and served for two years and have remained a board member since. That began my career of giving back.
“Lions have long been involved in all aspects of vision assistance—visual acuity and eye pressure screenings, providing eyeglasses and eye surgery, recycling used eyeglasses so they can be used around the world, forming eye banks, training guide dogs, building eye hospitals and training eye care providers. Several years after starting Remote Area Medical Project of Wise County, Virginia, in 1989, I was part of a group in my Lions district of Virginia that established similar events closer to home. Now we have a free eye clinic every quarter for the needy in my community and my Lions Club provides the eyeglasses. I have been involved every year since.
“In 2001 I was elected district governor for my Lions district and council chairman for Virginia. Then in 2012 I was elected to the board of directors of International Association of Lions Clubs and served for two years on the service activities committee, with oversight of all the service projects done by Lions Clubs around the world. While on the board I visited many districts and clubs in the United States and Lions’ projects in Australia, Japan, Germany and Spain, sharing experiences with the directors from around the world. Our Lions Clubs International Foundation provides millions in aid for disasters around the world. These funds are dispensed by the Lions who live where the disaster occurs. No donated funds are spent on administrative expenses. They are borne by the Lions themselves.
“While I was on the board, Lions Clubs International began our Centennial Service Campaign, which developed the Lions KidSight USA program to provide vision screening to children in the United States from 6 months to 6 years of age to identify and treat those children at risk for amblyopia and who need vision correction to succeed in school. I was the vice chairman of the committee and I serve as the vice president of the Lions KidSight USA Foundation.
“Service is a family thing. My wife, Donna, and our children are all active Lions, giving back daily, living the motto of Lions: ‘We Serve.’ ”
—Harvey Tettlebaum, 56295 Little Moniteau Road, California, MO 65018; (573) 761-1107; dartsecy64@gmail.com
“When I was stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital after finishing my ophthalmology residency at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland [now Water Reed Medical Center] in 1976, I became involved with the formation of a Lions medical eye bank and research center at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. After five years on the board of directors I was elected chairman of the board and served for two years and have remained a board member since. That began my career of giving back.
“Lions have long been involved in all aspects of vision assistance—visual acuity and eye pressure screenings, providing eyeglasses and eye surgery, recycling used eyeglasses so they can be used around the world, forming eye banks, training guide dogs, building eye hospitals and training eye care providers. Several years after starting Remote Area Medical Project of Wise County, Virginia, in 1989, I was part of a group in my Lions district of Virginia that established similar events closer to home. Now we have a free eye clinic every quarter for the needy in my community and my Lions Club provides the eyeglasses. I have been involved every year since.
“In 2001 I was elected district governor for my Lions district and council chairman for Virginia. Then in 2012 I was elected to the board of directors of International Association of Lions Clubs and served for two years on the service activities committee, with oversight of all the service projects done by Lions Clubs around the world. While on the board I visited many districts and clubs in the United States and Lions’ projects in Australia, Japan, Germany and Spain, sharing experiences with the directors from around the world. Our Lions Clubs International Foundation provides millions in aid for disasters around the world. These funds are dispensed by the Lions who live where the disaster occurs. No donated funds are spent on administrative expenses. They are borne by the Lions themselves.
“While I was on the board, Lions Clubs International began our Centennial Service Campaign, which developed the Lions KidSight USA program to provide vision screening to children in the United States from 6 months to 6 years of age to identify and treat those children at risk for amblyopia and who need vision correction to succeed in school. I was the vice chairman of the committee and I serve as the vice president of the Lions KidSight USA Foundation.
“Service is a family thing. My wife, Donna, and our children are all active Lions, giving back daily, living the motto of Lions: ‘We Serve.’ ”
—Harvey Tettlebaum, 56295 Little Moniteau Road, California, MO 65018; (573) 761-1107; dartsecy64@gmail.com