When you see the South Whidbey Lions out early next month, they will be there to help others see.

More than 300 members of the Lions Clubs on Whidbey Island will spend May 9 and 10 fundraising for their annual White Cane Days.

On May 9 and 10 the South Whidbey Lions will be stationed at Payless Foods, Casey’s and Ken’s Corner Red Apples and Linds Pharmacy in Langley.

The goal of the fundraiser and the associated Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight and Hearing is to help blind and deaf children and adults in the Northwest regain self reliance. The Lions Clubs of Washington and Northern Idaho have raised thousands of dollars over the years for the Northwest Lions Eye Bank.

The Northwest Lions Eye Bank recovers, prepares and distributes donated corneas to transplant surgeons who care for those who are waiting in blindness. Since 1969, the Northwest Lions Eye Banks have provided 24,000 corneas for sight-restoring transplants.

White Cane funds also support the Lions Patient Care Program. This program matches funds raised by local Lions Clubs who have identified individuals in their communities who need, but cannot afford, eye surgery.

Ralph Nakamura, a member of the South Whidbey Lions, said fundraising is especially important to his club because local Lions have given a bit more than they could afford.

“We exceeded our budget this year,” he said.

Donations to the White Cane also funds the Lions Health Screening Unit, which provides free health screenings for vision, hearing, glaucoma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. About 30 percent of the people screened find they have health problems of which they were previously unaware. Last year, the Lions Health Screening Unit screened nearly 23,000 children and adults.

White Cane monies also underwrite Lions Special Project Grants. These grants are available to Lions Clubs and other community organizations to help support vision and hearing-related programs in their local areas. In 2001 the Foundation provided over $228,000 in Special Project Grants.