By John Pleasants
Last October, Faye and I had the pleasure of presenting a program about the Burkeville Lodge to the James River Lions Club. As most of you know, we’re passionate about the Lodge because of the recreational activities and fellowship the Lodge provides to the blind and visually impaired folks and their sighted friends.
The pleasure for me was doubled because President Robert Poland and I used to work together thirty-or-so years ago at the VCU Police department, and I hadn’t seen him and his wife Margaret in quite a few years.
After an enjoyable dinner, Bob, Margaret and I talked about old memories. He introduced Faye and me as the guest speakers. I gave my little speech and we showed the DVD that the Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind has about the Burkeville Lodge. Then I opened the floor for questions.
After several of the usual questions about cost and when the Lodge is open, Secretary Bill Bergman asked if we thought that the folks who attend the lodge and like to fish would be interested in having some of the Popiel Pocket Fisherman fishing poles. Faye and I said that they certainly would, and he said he’d see if it was possible to get them.
As was reported in an earlier Beacon, the club donated the money and Bill managed to find some.
Last Friday Night, we attended the Richmond Blind Bowling League banquet and Bill was there representing the James River Club. He told us that he had the fishing poles, and we made arrangements for him to bring them to me at work.
He called me this past Monday morning, and we agreed that he would bring them that afternoon. At 2:20 Monday afternoon, Bill showed up with the donation and a camera for some shots of him presenting them to me.
I had called Betty Meredith Monday morning and told her about the donation and she said that was wonderful.
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind and the folks who attend the Burkeville Lodge to thank Bill and the James River Lions Club for their generous donation of six pocket Fishermen and know that they will be put to good use and are greatly appreciated.
Finally, let me say again that I know our Lions Clubs have many projects to donate to, and all of them are very worthy, but if you have some room in your budgets, please consider donating to the Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind for the operation of the Burkeville Lodge. If you would like a program about the Lodge, you can contact Betty Meredith at the VAWB office at 804-275-7300 or call me at the following numbers: home, 804-737-4776, Cell: 804-380-7562, or work: 804-674-3000.
We need your support if the lodge is to continue running and providing the much needed recreational activities that blind and visually impaired folks in this State have come to enjoy.
Thank you for your consideration and for those who have been donating, we appreciate your continued support. For those who haven’t donated in some time or haven’t donated at all for some reason, I encourage you to come to the lodge and see what fun we all have. I’m sure you will agree that this is a worthwhile project to support (or find a blind or visually impaired person, and sponsor a trip to the lodge for them). Also, remember that the lodge can be very reasonably rented for church retreats, Lions Club functions, or family reunions, etc.