Van Buren County to host first-ever Mental Health Walk on World Mental Health Awareness Day. Brittany Millan Torres September 23, 2026 Van Buren County residents of all ages are invited to participate in the county's first-ever Mental Health Walk on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in recognition of World Mental Health Awareness Day. Hosted by the Van Buren Intermediate School District's Youth Collaborative, the free community event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Van Buren Tech, 250 South St., Lawrence, MI 49064. Participants should follow event signage to the walking path located north of the Van Buren Tech Center. The Mental Health Walk is designed as a welcoming, low-pressure, open-house-style event where community members can learn about local mental health resources, build resilience, and explore practical wellness tools. Rather than a structured race or 5K, the less-than-half-mile walk allows participants to move through the event at their own pace between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Throughout the event, participants will have the opportunity to visit interactive stations featuring skills from the Community Resilience Model (CRM), an evidence-based framework that helps individuals understand the nervous system and develop practical skills for building resilience. All stations and activities are optional. The event will also feature opportunities to connect with local agencies and providers, a touch-a-truck experience, and a free book giveaway for the first 100 toddlers who attend. Free sack lunches will be available to the first 100 participants. The event is hosted by the VBISD Youth Collaborative in collaboration with Bronson, Van Buren Community Mental Health, Van Buren County Youth Court, VBISD Great Start, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Lions Club. "We're excited to host the Van Buren Youth Collaborative's first annual Mental Health Awareness Walk on October 10, World Mental Health Awareness Day. This free, family-friendly event is an opportunity for people of all ages to connect with local mental health resources, learn simple resilience strategies, and enjoy a short walk together. We hope the community will come as they are, rain or shine, and join us in creating greater awareness and support for positive mental health," said Paula Kana'an. The walking route includes both paved and grassy areas on the VBISD campus and Van Buren Tech Center grounds. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. Event Details What: Van Buren County Mental Health Walk When: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Where: Van Buren Tech, 250 South St., Lawrence, MI 49064 Cost: Free Who: Community members of all ages Weather: Rain or shine Walk: Less than 1/2 mile, unstructured and self-paced

Lions Clubs, Health Wagon partner for free preschooler hearing screenings. Sep 18, 2026 3:28 PM WISE - The Health Wagon is partnering with the Lions Club to offer free hearing screenings for preschool-age children in Southwest Virginia. The ListenUp! Preschool Hearing Health Outreach Program, which provides free hearing screenings for children aged 2-5 years, uses Otoacoustic Emissions testing. While most babies receive a hearing screening at birth, hearing loss can develop later, and some children who do not pass their newborn screening may not receive follow-up assistance. ListenUp! helps bridge the screening gap by bringing hearing screenings directly to groups of children in communities across the Commonwealth, supporting earlier identification and access to services when needed. Partnered with the Virginia School of the Deaf and Blind - https://www.vsdb.k12.va.Times News/page/listenup - this program began in Lions District 24-C in Southwest Virginia and has now expanded to Lions Clubs across the state. While scheduling ListenUp! events will be taking place at area daycares and preschools in the near future, the Health Wagon has agreed to partner with local Lions Clubs to provide set days and times each month for parents to bring their children ages 2-5 to Health Wagon sites. The ListenUp! Lions team members will now be available 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the following locations beginning Oct. 2: -Health Wagon, Wise - First Friday of each month -Health Wagon, Clintwood - Second Friday of each month -Health Wagon, Vansant - Third Friday of each month While no appointment is necessary, a consent form will need to be completed upon arrival. If hearing loss is detected, a follow-up appointment will be made.

Table View Lions Club celebrates five decades of service to the community. Former Lion Freda Dodd holding her Melvin Jones Fellowship surrounded by past and current members of Table View Lions Club Image: SUPPLIED The Table View Lions Club celebrated 50 years of community service with a Golden Anniversary luncheon at Parow Golf Club on Saturday, August 15, while also welcoming its new president and recognising one of its long-serving members for her humanitarian work. Members, guests and fellow Lions gathered to reflect on the club's five decades of service to the Table View community and to look ahead to its next chapter, said member Frith Doepke. Established in 1976, the club has supported a range of initiatives focused on health, assisting people in need and working with local organisations to address community needs. Freda Dodd receives international honour. One of the highlights of the celebration was the presentation of the Melvin Jones Fellowship to Lion member Freda Dodd. The award is one of the highest honours bestowed by Lions Clubs International and recognises individuals for outstanding humanitarian service, said Doepke. Dodd has been a member of the Table View Lions Club for more than 15 years and has been involved in several of its community initiatives. "She played a key role in developing the club's long-standing partnership with the Children's Haematology Oncology Clinics (CHOC), which supports children with cancer and their families. She also served as the club's Diabetes Chairperson for several years, helping to raise awareness about diabetes and organise free community glucose screenings," she said. You May Like Liz Houston was also inducted as the club's president for the 2026/2027 Lions year. Houston said the club would place a greater emphasis on mental health and wellness during her term, with the slogan "We Care About You", reflecting the importance of looking after volunteers and the wider community. "Everyone's mental health and wellness is important - if we aren't mentally well, we can't serve our communities," she said. Houston said the club also planned to make greater use of social media to highlight its projects and activities, while strengthening collaboration with organisations in the area. "We will collaborate with other organisations such as TVNW, Community CleanUp, etc. - we can serve our communities better with more hands and minds," she said. The club's ongoing projects include monthly free community glucose screening events, fundraising activities such as the Big Walk for Little Warriors in support of CHOC, environmental initiatives and partnerships with local organisations. As it enters its next 50 years, the Table View Lions Club says it remains committed to its motto, "We Serve", and to supporting the needs of the local community. Residents interested in getting involved can find more information on the Table View Lions Club Facebook page. Lion President Liz Houston holding the Table View Lions Club's charter. With her from left - District Governor Herman Laubscher, Outgoing President John Houston and Charter Member Bobby Heimann Image: SUPPLIED Related Topics: