Welcome

Blue Ridge Lions Club

Learn More

Our Club


Where There's a NEED, There's a LION

Whenever a Lions club gets together, problems get smaller. And communities get better. That's because we help where help is needed – in our own communities and around the world – with unmatched integrity and energy.

The Blue Ridge chapter of the Lions Club began in 2016 and continues to grow. We look forward to the years ahead as we serve our community together.

Meetings are at 7:00pm the second Thursday of every month. Our current meeting location is Double Springs Baptist Church. Please come early if you'd like to eat there.

Check out our Facebook page for the latest updates on our club.

Eye Screening

Leadership


Trent Barbare

President

Trent Barbare

Will Cochran

VP & Board Member

Will Cochran

Angela Barbare

Secretary

Angela Barbare

Becky Bagwell

Treasurer

Becky Bagwell

Peggy Johnson

Marketing/Communications & Board Member

Peggy Johnson

Jim Barbare

Membership Chair & Scholarship Committee

Jim Barbare

Blake McClimon

Scholarship Committee & Adopt a Highway

Blake McClimon

Hope Barbare

Scholarship
Committee

Hope Barbare

Ray LeBlanc

Board Member

Ray LeBlanc

Paula Crane

Membership Chair

Paula Crane

Brian Barbare

Lion Tamer

Brian Barbare

Clara LeBlanc

Eye Care Coordinator

Clara LeBlanc

Phil Bowers

Scholarship Committee

Timothy McClimon

Marketing/Communications

Global Causes


Lions are united behind five global causes: Diabetes, Vision, Hunger, Environment and Childhood Cancer.

Diabetes


Lion Kimber’s journey with her diabetes diagnosis

“You have type 1 diabetes.” The words echoed in my mind. Starting high school was a major life change in itself; now I would be a freshman learning how to manage diabetes. Before I knew what was happening, I was learning how to count carbohydrates for each meal and snack. But the only way I could ensure not to over-indulge was turning my fingers into pin cushions. Once, before lunch, I got a paper cut and had my mom get my glucometer ready, so I could avoid a needle stick. At my first endocrinology visit, I practiced injections with insulin syringes filled with saline. My trembling hand inched towards my pinched abdomen until the needle tip just touched my skin, causing me to freeze until the nurse advanced my hand inserting the needle. After a couple of tries, I was successful at administering injections to myself should it become necessary. Fortunately, I have only needed insulin during my pregnancies.

General Information

Multiple daily needle sticks are a fact of life for many Diabetics. Those with type 1, an autoimmune disease, are also typically known as insulin dependent diabetics, and previously referred to as juvenile diabetes, as their body does not produce insulin and require exogenous insulin administration. To help reduce the number of daily shots some of these patients opt to get an insulin pump. Type 2 diabetics are also known as noninsulin dependent diabetics as their bodies still produce insulin. These individuals could be treated with diet/exercise, oral medications, non-insulin injection, or sometimes will need exogenous insulin. Since there are different classes of oral and injectable medication that have differing mechanisms of action to help control one’s glucose levels multiple medications can be used together. Over the past 15 years or so research has shed light on type 1.5 which is a hybrid of type 1 and 2. Like type 1 it is an autoimmune disease but typically occurs later in life like type 2.

Whether type 1, 1.5, or 2 diabetics all have 1 thing in common monitoring control via a HbA1C (hemoglobin A1C). This is a 12-week average glucose control. A normal A1c is 5.7 or less, prediabetes is 5.7-6.4, and diabetes is 6.5 or greater. When being treated for diabetes treatment goal is for an A1C of 7 or less. Maintaining control of blood sugar levels is crucial to avoid secondary complications such as kidney disease (nephropathy), loss of sensation in fingers and toes (neuropathy), and changes in vision (diabetic retinopathy) to name a few. Despite their level of sugar control diabetics are at increased risk for heart disease, infection, and delayed wound healing.

Accomplishments


Lions Leadership Institute

Inaugural President Jim Barbare completed this course at the Tennessee School for the Blind in July 2017.

Literacy Day

Volunteers read to classes at Blue Ridge Middle School.

Membership Outreach

Meeting in May at Lake Robinson with picnic items and cookout.

Assistance with Eye Needs

Exams and glasses

Conventions

Attendance at district and state conventions.

Peace Poster Contest

3 entries from Blue Ridge Middle School.

Belk Charity Sale

Fall and Spring, $1,000

BRMS Grade Competition

Fundraiser, $1,100

Greer Library

Eye Screening, Cooperation with Greer Lions Club, April 2017

BRMS Family Fun Night

Eye Screening, March 2017

Skyland Elementary School Fall Festival

Eye Screening, September 2016

BRMS Back to School Night

Eye Screening, August 2016

Charter Night

August 2016

News


Recycling Goal Met! The Blue Ridge Lions Club recycled 500 pounds of plastic! Thank you to everyone who helped and a special thanks to David O'Shields from Greer Lions Club who helped us reach that goal.

Plastic Recycling



Saturday, February 25, 2023, the Greer Heritage Museum is having a concert with the James Brothers — an old-school gospel duet that has been performing in Greer since 1944. In addition to singing traditional Negro spirituals and gospel music, Director David Lovegrove will be talking with them about their musical heritage. More information



Blue Ridge Lions Club is proud of our very own Jim Barbare who took his oath of office for District Governor during the virtual convention.



Blue Ridge Lions Club assembled birthday cake kits as part of their service project during their five year anniversary celebration. Each kit contained one box of cake mix, one container of icing, one box of candles, and one birthday card. Each was placed in a cake pan and shrink wrapped. The 25 kits will be donated to a local food bank so parents will be able to provide their children with a birthday cake on their special day.

Birthday Cake Service Project
Birthday Cake Service Project

5 Year Celebration


Blue Ridge Lions Club helped organize and man the hospitality room at the MD32 State Convention in Spartanburg April 9-11. Pictures are of Lions Paula Crane, Peggy Johnson, and Hope Barbare. International 2nd Vice President Brian Sheehan poses in one of the pictures with the ladies. One of the pictures of Lion tamer Brian Barbare is delivering the leftover food items to Greer Community Ministries from the Multiple District 32 State Convention Hospitality room.

We were able to box up leftover food items and deliver to the Greer Community Ministries food bank. We contributed lance crackers, fruit cups, cookies, granola bars, peanuts, peanut butter, popcorn, chips, candy and sodas (yes, they even took the sodas).

2021 Convention
2021 Convention

2021 Convention
2021 Convention

2021 Convention
2021 Convention

2021 Convention
2021 Convention

2021 Convention


The Blue Ridge, Greer Centennial and Taylors Lions Clubs planted 11 trees including American Hornbeam, Redbud, Bald Cypress, White Oak and Tulip Poplar as a service project at Skyland Elementary. We are grateful to complete a service project that will impact so many for years to come. #WeServe

This was a great service project and we so appreciate Olivia Barnwell and Emily Bright from Blue Ridge High School joining us for the service project.

Photo credit: Jerry Hatley Photography

More photos:
Greenville Journal
Greer Centennial Lions Club

Skyland Tree Planting
Skyland Tree Planting

Skyland Tree Planting
Skyland Tree Planting

Skyland Tree Planting
Skyland Tree Planting

Skyland Tree Planting


View More Photos

Documents


Service Hours

Members, please remember to report your service hours using the forms below. Please send them to Paula via email or regular mail or bring them to the next meeting.

Activities
Activity Report



Meeting Presentations

November 2022 (PDF) (Powerpoint)
March 2023 (PDF)


Year in Review

2022-2023

Contact Us


Get in touch with us by email at info@blueridgelionsclub.com

Our Facebook Page