Wisconsin Lions Foundation Reports another Year of Life-Changing Service Across Wisconsin and Beyond

Rosholt, WI – The Wisconsin Lions Foundation is proud to share the accomplishments of its 2025-26 Lionistic Year, from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, highlighting another year of service through its five statewide projects that continue to expand to improve the lives across Wisconsin and around the world.

Guided by its mission, “We Serve by Reaching, Touching, and Improving Lives”, the Foundation continued to provide impactful services through Wisconsin Lions Camp, Eyeglass Recycling, Vision Screening, Hearing, and Diabetes Awareness Projects.

The year also marked an important transition in leadership as the Foundation’s longtime Executive Director, Evett Hartvig, retired at the end of 2025 after decades of dedicated service. Brad Behrens assumed leadership as Executive Director on January 1, 2026, continuing the Foundation’s commitment to serving Wisconsin communities.

The Wisconsin Lions Camp welcomed 1,007 campers free of charge during the 2025 summer season. Camp provides week-long experiences for children and adults who are Blind or Visually Impaired, children and adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, children and young adults with intellectual disabilities or autism, children with epilepsy, and children with diabetes. So far, during the summer of 2026, Wisconsin Lions Camp has served 801 campers with three more weeks of summer camp to go.

The Eyeglass Recycling Center continued to make a global impact by receiving 1,137,850 donated eyeglasses and shipping 233,156 recycled eyeglasses to support 90 missions around the world. More than 1,400 collection sites are situated across Wisconsin to continue to provide convenient locations for residents to donate used eyeglasses, hearing aids, and cell phones. To meet increasing demand, the Foundation also expanded its processing capabilities by opening new satellite eyeglass recycling centers in Beloit and Gleason, with additional locations planned in the coming months.

The Vision Screening Project, supported by certified Lion volunteers throughout Wisconsin, screened 124,925 children. Of those screened, 16,507 children were referred for follow-up care with an eye health professional. Certified Lions conduct screenings in schools, preschools, daycare centers, and at community events with the goal of identifying vision concerns in children ages seven and younger while treatment can be most effective. Through a partnership with the Shopko Optical Kids in Focus program, children whose families cannot afford an eye examination or eyeglasses may be eligible to receive both at no cost.

The Foundation’s Hearing Project approved 42 applications for assistance, resulting in 50 hearing aids being ordered for individuals in need. Additionally, 6,500 used hearing aids were collecting and sent for recycling, helping to generate support for future hearing assistance efforts. The Hearing Project is currently undergoing enhancements that will further expand its impact for individuals throughout Wisconsin.

The Diabetes Awareness Project distributed 47,008 educational materials statewide while introducing a new initiative to support students living with diabetes. In April, the Foundation launched its first School Technology Grant, offering up to $1,000 to as many as 20 Wisconsin schools to purchase technology that assists with monitoring students who use continuous glucose monitors during the school day. Applications closed in June, with grant recipients scheduled to be announced in August.

The Foundation also celebrated the successful completion of its two-year NASA DISCOVERIES pilot program in partnership with Rosholt fourth-grade students. Throughout the pilot, every fourth-grade student in the Rosholt School District visited the Wisconsin Lions Foundation monthly to conduct citizen science through surface temperature measurements and cloud observations. Students also met with NASA subject matter experts and concluded each school year by presenting their scientific findings through poster presentations. During the 2025-26 school year, the Wisconsin Lions Foundation was the only location in the United States selected to participate in this NASA pilot program.

“The accomplishments of this past year reflect the incredible dedication of Wisconsin Lions, our staff, volunteers, partners, and donors,” said Executive Director Brad Behrens. “Every camper welcomed, every child screened, every pair of eyeglasses recycled, every hearing aid provided, and every educational opportunity created demonstrates the power of people coming together to improve lives. As we look to the future, we remain committed to expanding our Projects and finding new ways to serve communities throughout Wisconsin and beyond.”

As the Foundation looks ahead, it will continue expanding Projects, strengthening partnerships, and developing innovative initiatives that ensure the Wisconsin Lions Foundation remains a leader in service for generations to come.

For more information about the Wisconsin Lions Foundation and its five statewide projects, visit the Foundation’s website at www.wisconsinlionsfoundation.org, or follow the Foundation on social media.