On Saturday, May 10^th, 2008: Friends Across the Border did a vision-screening clinic in Tecate, Mexico.  We left our staging areas in Yucaipa, Hemet and Menifee on time, respectively at 5:00am, 5:45am and 6:30am.  Our breakfast stop at Barrett’s Junction was made at 8:20am and by 9:00am we were headed to the border.  We crossed the border without any problems thanks to Lion Martin Pineda of the Tecate Lions Club.

The clinic started at 10:00am and by 2:30 pm the last patient of the day was leaving with their recycled eyeglasses.  Listed below is a synopsis of the day’s clinical findings:

• 175 people were seen for the day.
• Of the 175, 8 needed no prescription, 7 need to be made at the optical lab and the balance received recycled eyeglasses.
• 1 patient needs treatment for glaucoma
• 4 patients need cataract surgery on at least one eye.
• 1 patient needs pterygium excision on one eye.
• 1 patient need treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy
• 2 patients need treatment for diabetic maculopathy
• 1 patient needs treatment for a retinal detachment

After the equipment and eyeglasses were packed we sat down to a nice meal and conversation with the Tecate Lions that were at the clinic.  It was a nice day and demonstrated what giving from the heart is all about.  With our salutations made, we departed for the border arriving at 4:00pm.  By 4:20pm we were all through the border and heading to our rest stop in Rancho San Diego, 30 minutes away.  We left Rancho San Diego at 5:15pm and by 6:45pm we were pulling into Menifee.  By 7:10pm we made our Hemet staging area and our final stop in Yucaipa was made at 8:00pm

Listed below are those that participated directly Mexico:  Martin Pineda, Gustavo Pineda, Juan Carlos, Javier Urbalejo, Gerardo Lozano, Guillermo Lozano, Chelly Pineda and Clemente Maldonado.

Listed below are those that participated directly from the USA:

Yucaipa Valley Lions Club: Carl Decker

Lake Ellsinore Lions Club: Russ Hemken

Ramona Valley Lions Club:  Jack Walker

Hemet Lions Club: Kim Malone

Calimesa Breakfast Lions Club:  Rob Manning, Ron Meader, Don Ranney, Jim Selby, Steve Fedor, Pati Van Dusen and Brian Van Dusen.

Palm Spring Lions Club:  George Valuer

Beaumont Lions Club:  Larry Perrault

Non-Lions:  Cecilia Rios and Carlton Luthas