St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) is proud to accept the generous donation from the Leonardtown Lion’s Club, of a close circuit television for one of our students with vision impairments. The close circuit television provides enlarged print, enabling support for access to curricular print materials. After graduation in the spring, the student will use this technology support, in college next year. Mr. George Kirby, King Lion; Mr. Jerry Pope, Vision and Hearing Chairperson; and Mr. Kennedy Abell, treasurer; presented the close circuit television to Dr. Michael J. Martirano, Superintendent of Schools; Mrs. Melissa Charbonnet, Executive Director of Special Education/Student Services; and Ms. Elizabeth Nehrbass, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, on Friday, December 21, 2012.
St. Mary’s County has five local Lion’s Clubs; Leonardtown, Hollywood, Lexington Park, Mechanicsville and Ridge. The Lion’s Clubs provide community outreach and support for individuals with vision and hearing impairment by actively collecting and recycling glasses and hearing aids for individuals, both nationally and internationally. Eye glasses and hearing aides are sent to recycling centers and monitored for quality controls. The local clubs have identified Mr. Jerry Pope as the county’s single point of contact for referrals and donations. He works closely with the SMCPS school nurses to identify individuals and families who may benefit from their support.
Camp Merrick, located in the Nanjemoy area of Charles County, is another important component of Lion’s Clubs’ work in southern Maryland. Tri-County clubs support the camp which provides conference facilities as well as residential and day camp experiences for children. The St. Mary’s County Public Schools and the Lion’s Clubs of St. Mary’s County look forward to expanding their partnership to increase camp opportunities for our students through the identification of campers and scholarship supports.
