NEWPORT – She has served as club president, and led several chapter initiatives – including one that puts dictionaries in the hands of every local third grader – and another that ensures area students are screened annually for vision problems.
Burrillville Lions Club member Nancy Vermillion was recently recognized with The Lions Clubs International President’s Certificate of Appreciation, a prestigious award that honors significant contributions to the association.
Vermillion received the award at the Lions of Rhode Island District 42 State Night, an event gathering and celebrating club members from across the state. With the motto “we serve” Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest membership-based service club, boasting volunteers in more than 200 countries. District 42 encompasses the state of Rhode Island, and has more than 1,000 members.
The award comes following decades of service with the local chapter, a non-profit serving Burrillville and North Smithfield. Vermillion has served as club president and secretary, and has spearheaded a number of club projects.
Through The Dictionary Project, she has delivered hundreds of the books – free of charge – to every third grade student in her service towns since she first launched the program locally in 2014. Vermillion has also led the local chapter’s vision screenings, dedicating countless hours to help school nurses determine when to refer students to an ophthalmologist with the use of handheld equipment and a team of local do-gooders.
Vermillion also participates in several other service projects with the all-volunteer organization including Earth Day, cemetery cleanup, the scholarship dinner, the Valentine’s Dance, candy sales, Adopt-a-Family, the Snack Pack program and Camp Mauchatea.
She has also been involved with the club on the statewide level, serving on the board of the Rhode Island Sight Foundation and as her chapter’s zone chairperson.
She was co-chairperson of the recent State Night event, held at The Wayfinder Hotel in Newport.
The International President’s Certificate of Appreciation is the club’s fourth highest award, given at the discretion of the international president. Recipients are nominated by the district governor, and Vermillion was presented the honor by District 42 Gov.
Tanios BouRamia.
Editor’s note: Publisher Sandy Hall is a member of the Burrillville Lions Club.
