Ken Shull, CEO of St. Luke’s Hospital, updated the Columbus Lions recently about the present status of St. Luke’s Hospital. The Lions learned that, after losing money from 1997 to 2009, the hospital has made a profit in 2010 and 2011. Reflecting the needs of our community, the hospital will soon be building an addition that will include six new patient rooms. These six rooms will be dedicated to orthopedic patients who make up about 21 percent of St. Luke’s patients.
The addition will also contain the therapy department, which is currently located off site because of lack of space. Shull told the Lions that 100 percent of the doctors at the hospital are board certified, and, with 300 employees, St. Luke’s is one of the largest employers in the county. The Lions expressed their appreciation for St. Luke’s and all it contributes to our community.
The Columbus Lions Club is a past recipient of the International Association of Lions Clubs’ “Excellence in Effort Award” for sight conservation and work with the blind. Members of the club help Polk County’s visually impaired people (VIPs) by sponsoring social events and by giving them gifts and grocery gift cards at Christmas. During the summer, the club also sponsors VIPs for a week at Camp Dogwood, the N.C. Lions camp for the visually impaired located on Lake Norman north of Charlotte.
When people in the community need eye exams or eyeglasses but are financially unable to pay for them, the club helps them get what they need. Used eyeglasses collected by the club are distributed to help people around the world.
Area men and women who would like to help Lions serve the community are invited to become part of this group.  Call Fran Goodwin at 828-894-2505 for more information.
– article submitted by Helen Trevathan