Lion's Club donates statue to honor Helen Keller

From The Times Daily in Florence, Alabama:

TUSCUMBIA, Ala. - In 1925, Helen Keller issued a challenge while speaking at the international convention of the Lions Club.

She asked the organization to become "Knights of the Blind" and always advocate for those with sight impairments, according to local Lions Club member John Tuten.

Today, 84 years later, club members continue to take Keller's message to heart.

A Lions monument and upgraded display were unveiled June 13 at Keller's birthplace, Ivy Green.

Museum director Sue Pilkilton said it's fitting for the Lions and Ivy Green to work together because the organization focuses on fulfilling Keller's challenge.

"The Lions just do wonderful work," Pilkilton said. "They work throughout the year for the cause. They do so much for underprivileged people who can't afford glasses."

The monument includes a 1,600-pound concrete lion and improvements to the existing display case in the Lions Club Memorial on the grounds of Ivy Green, Pilkilton said.

She said improvements include a television with a DVD player that continuously runs a program that gives a history of the Lions, including Keller's challenge to them.

In addition, tile on display at the memorial is funded by Lions. The names of donors are on the tile.

Tuten said Dick Grilz, a member of the West Charleston, Nev., Lions Club, deserves a great deal of credit for the project.

Grilz visited the Shoals about three years ago with a club member and saw the Lions Memorial. That moved them to create a project in District 46 of the Lions Club in Nevada.

"We worked with Lions in the Shoals and have raised over $26,000 so far," Grilz said. "We want that to expand. There are 1.3 million Lions. If we get half of 1 percent, we'll be in pretty good shape."

Grilz said the club named the lion Sue, in honor of Pilkilton. He said the monument already is popular.

"It wasn't put in place here for 10 minutes before kids were crawling all over it," he said.

Tuten hopes Nevada's input snowballs.

"If we can get Nevada to help us, surely we can get California, New York and others," he said. "If you have a half-dozen clubs out of each state, that will make a difference."
Pilkilton said Tuten spent countless hours working with the Nevada club, and it already is apparent the work is paying off.

"It's a beautiful lion," she said. "I've noticed people are viewing it over there and getting a feel of the lion, so I can only imagine a blind person going over there and feeling the lion.

"The monument looks great, and it's also an area to house Lions International gifts from all over the world that have been sent in Keller's honor."