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Lions Club treats special-needs kids with Christmas gifts
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Ask Kwein Freeman what he wants most for Christmas and he’ll probably tell you that his No. 1 desired gift neither fits under the tree nor in a box.
“I want to be with my family,” said Kwein, 11, a South Side Academy student. “I want to see my grandma on Christmas.”
Even though the holiday is nearly three weeks away, Kwein received an early gift of sorts, because he was able to be among 110 students, most from the Youngstown City Schools, with special needs who were part of the 98th annual Lions Club Christmas party Tuesday at the Youngstown Saxon Club on South Meridian Road.
Besides the South Side Academy, the students represented McGuffey, Paul C. Bunn, Wilson, Williamson and Volney elementary schools; Chaney and East high schools; and the Leonard Kirtz School in Austintown.
The local Lions Club lists working toward finding a cure for blindness as one of its primary objectives. Other charitable efforts include giving funds to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley to conduct vision testing in the city schools, as well as funding the Youngstown Radio Reading Service, noted Myra Vitto, club president.
The YRRS offers daily readings to those who are blind or visually impaired, Vitto said.
“We have a great group of kids at South Side [Academy],” said Robin Estes, an intervention specialist. “I love it. ... South Side is amazing.”
The Lions Club’s outreach is especially important for many of the students, because their families are struggling financially, so they often can’t afford to buy gifts or enjoy meals at home, observed Allyson Morici, who, along with Sarah Such, teaches in Chaney High’s multiple-disabilities unit with 14 students in grades nine through 12.
“Just to see the pure joy on their faces is satisfying to us,” said Morici, adding that it’s also important to celebrate the students’ gifts and diversity.
All 110 students were given $25 each to select gifts they wanted via the Target department store’s website, then their teachers sent lists containing that information to Lions Club volunteers who bought the items. From there, the merchandise was labeled and wrapped before being distributed, explained Cheri Metzinger, the club’s vice president.
“We have so much fun doing this every year,” said Metzinger, who noted the gathering was possible courtesy of last June’s Turtle Derby fundraiser race, which brought in about $25,000.
Also during the luncheon, 2018-19 Lions Club scholarships were given to Thomas Ericksen and Terra Mullins, both of whom plan to work in special education. Ericksen, a Youngstown State University special-education major, plans to begin student teaching in January, he said.
In addition, the youngsters were delighted when Santa Claus made an appearance to hand out their gifts.