On October 23, 2021, at the Kinston Community Center from 9:00 am until 11:00 am there will be a fourth annual Strides Rockin’ Walk-A-Thon hosted by Lion’s Industries for the Blind and Kinston Community Center.

“We need you,” said Sharon Axelberg, Executive Director of Lions Industries for the Blind, Inc. “Please come and walk or rock to raise awareness and money for this effort.”

The STRIDES Walkin’ Rock-A-Thon is an annual event sponsored by Lions Clubs all over the world. Lions now have five initiatives: Vision, Diabetes, Hunger, Childhood Cancer, and the Environment. STRIDES is helping diabetes patients through providing scholarships to Type 1 and Type 2 patients, sponsoring kids attending Camp Needles in the Pines (a diabetes camp in Beaufort County, NC) and any other diabetes camp children attend, helping our school nurses provide Low Kits and needed supplies for their diabetes patients.

“Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness,” said Axelberg. “As a Type 1 Diabetes patient, this is my passion. I know the expenses of this disease because I’ve lived with it for almost 40 years.”

To date, Lions Making Strides 2 Fight Diabetes has raised over $70,000 to this end. They have given over 200 scholarships, supplied school nurses with Low Kits and gift cards, and sent more than 50 kids to camp.

“It is our goal to send every child we can to camp, so their families won’t have to decide if they need to go camping or make sure they have their diabetes medications,” said Axelberg.

The event will include mobile vision and hearing screenings as well as kids’ activities and a health fair.

“Personally, I had a childhood friend with type 1 diabetes when I was in college,” said Kelly Cannon, Kinston Community Center Director. “It’s always been something near and dear to my heart to raise awareness for individuals living with diabetes because they have a daily struggle that if you don’t live with it, you don’t understand.”