GAIL WHITE Special-needs kids get the Lions' share of gifts

It's every child's dream.
The J.C. Penney's Christmas catalog spread out before them, with the choice to pick out anything they want.
For the past 81 years, the Youngstown Lions Club has made that dream come true for hundreds of visually impaired and special-needs children in the Mahoning Valley.
Walking into the Saxon Club on Meridian Road earlier this month, I found the ballroom filled to capacity with children excitedly awaiting the arrival of a special Christmas guest.
In the front of the room stood a Christmas tree overflowing with presents underneath.
Wish list: Every child had had the opportunity to scour the catalog and choose his or her top three choices -- among items $30 or less -- from its hundreds of pages.
On this day, upon the arrival of a special guest, they would find out what they received.
After all the pupils and their teachers were seated, Anthony Vivo began the party by singing "God Bless America."
To the side of the stage stood a man doing gestures for those in the audience who are hearing-impaired. The motions are not exactly textbook sign language, but his vivacious movements for them were understandable.
This boisterous character was Odelin Kraja, who's been a member of the Youngstown Lions Club longer than anyone else. After 52 years, he has a passion for this group and their work as vibrant as his sign language.
"It was our club that started the sight-saving campaign," Odelin said proudly.
Inspiration: Helen Keller, the famed U.S. writer and lecturer who was born blind and deaf but was taught to read and speak, addressed an Ohio Lions meeting. The Youngstown chapter returned home and adopted the mission. "That was in 1922," Odelin explained.
Three years later, Lions International adopted the campaign.
"There used to be a lot of blind children at our Christmas party," Odelin remembered. In 1969, there were 225 visually impaired guests.
"Today, there are very few," he said, giving credit to the research funds his club has raised.
Every Lion would like to see the day when their Christmas party will have no visually impaired guests.
While lunch was served, guests of the club were introduced.
Lifetime impact: One very special guest is Virginia Ayers.
Virginia, blind since infancy, has attended the Lions Club Christmas Party since 1935.
The Lions have had an incredible impact on her life, especially her Christmases.
"I remember the first year I came. I was 7 years old," Virginia said with a big smile.
"I got a set of dishes. The plates were really big -- not little ones," she explained. Sitting with her, I realized she never actually saw her dish set. But looking at her as she described the set, I could tell she had a definite vision in her mind. I could almost see them myself. Virginia loved those dishes.
"The next year, I got a beautiful doll," she continues. "It had a china head and a soft body. I wouldn't play with it because it was so nice," she sheepishly admitted.
Although I was amazed at her memory of her gifts, I was even more amazed that she remembers the names of the Lion Club members who picked her up at school each year to take her to the party.
Every year. Every name. She remembers every one of them. It is as if she engraved them on her heart.
Even at 7, she knew how special these individuals were.
Guess who? And then the special guest arrived.
As Santa "ho-ho-ho'ed" around the room, a Lion was under the tree calling out names on gifts. All the Lion Club members lined up to deliver each gift.
Screams of delight were heard as the children opened their presents.
I saw remote control cars, gumball machines, Hot Wheels toy sets. One absolutely thrilled child was holding a metal detector. A few teen-age girls are hugging flannel, cloud-covered pajamas.
Like Virginia, these children will not forget these gifts -- or the people who gave them.
XFor more information about the Lions Club, call (330) 788-4001.
gwhite@vindy.com