River Hills Lions Club

In 1925 Helen Keller challenged the Lions to “become knights of the blind in this crusade against darkness “. The River Hills Lions have answered that challenge by helping the students at South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) located in Spartanburg, SC. Since 1999 the River Hills Lions have donated over $30,000 to The Walker Foundation, which is the fundraising arm of the SCSDB. This money has been used to help build a performing arts facility and provide classroom furniture for pre-school children who are visually impaired. One of the rooms has been dedicated in honor the River Hills Lions Club, “The River Hills Lions Fun Room”. The money is also being used to help underwrite the cost for the production of the School’s 2008 musical program, “High School Musical”. These musicals provide numerous benefits for the students in memorization, acting, singing, signing and dancing.

The Walker Foundation provides support for the students of SCSDB through funding for field trips, experiential learning opportunities, classroom resources, assistive technology, summer camps, emergency needs for children (medications/clothing, etc.), construction and renovation to the school’s buildings and other others of need.

The SCSDB was founded in 1849 by Rev. Newton Pinckney Walker and his wife Martha Hughston Walker when they opened their home as a private school, admitting five deaf children. It became a state school in 1856. Currently under the supervision of President, Pamela Shaw Ph.D., the school offers programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, sensory multi-disabled, vocational and postsecondary education students and various outreach services. Currently, the school serves approximately 1700 students throughout the state with approximately 400 residential students on the Spartanburg campus. Nineteen of those residential students are from York County, and more than 70 babies with sensory disabilities in the county are being served through SCSDB’s Early Intervention Program.

For additional information, please contact Heather Patchett, Executive Director of The Walker Foundation at 864-577-7582 or visit their websites at www.walkerfdn.org and www.scsdb.org. If you would like to make a donation to The Walker Foundation through the Lions Club, please contact Lion Paul Boggs at 803-831-0911.