Detroit Lakes Lions selling geraniums to help fund Eyes for Mexico project

The Detroit Lakes Lions Club is once again be selling planters filled with geraniums to benefit its Eyes for Mexico project.

Area residents can pre-order the 12-inch pots for $25 each, to be picked up this Thursday through Saturday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1400 Corbett Road, Detroit Lakes. Hours for pickup are 3-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 7-8, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 9.

The pots will be set outside the church for you to make your selection. To reserve your pot(s), contact any Lions Club member, or order them online at http://detroitlakeslions.angelfire.com/geranium-sales.html.

For the past 17 years, the Detroit Lakes Lions Club has been sending volunteers to Mazatlan, Mexico, every January, to bring free eye care to residents of those communities who would otherwise be unable to afford it.

About 11 years ago, they added Mazatlan to their itinerary, traveling down there every March to conduct similar eye clinics for the residents there. Detroit Lakes optometrist Dr. Armand Radke and his wife, Mari, have been making those annual trips since the beginning, and for the past few years, they have been joined by their son Phillip, an ophthalmologist and cosmetic surgeon, and a handful of other volunteers to provide eye surgery services in addition to the vision clinics. Each trip takes approximately 3-4 weeks.

1/2: Members of the Detroit Lakes Lions Club's 2020 Eyes for Mexico mission group included (right to left) Gilberto Jimenez, Dr. Armand Radke, Jack Breen, Dr Annie Breen, Sarah Hassan, Dr. Phillip Radke, Mari Radke, John Burton , Mike Nolan and Brenda Beebe Wieland. Armand and Mari Radke, along with Brenda Wieland, are all part of the Detroit Lakes club, while Burton is from the Brainerd Lions. Jiminez is with the Lions club in Mazatlan, Mexico. (Submitted photo)

2/2: Doctors Annie Breen and Armand Radke administer eye care to a patient during a 2020 Eyes for Mexico mission trip to Mazatlan. (Submitted photo)