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Timeline

1960-1970
 1960:: The Lions Eye Bank is founded in Columbia, Missouri.

1967:: The Lions of Missouri Pledge $250,000 to go toward building a facility for the Lions Eye Bank.
1971-1980
 1972:: The Lions Eye Bank becomes a publicly owned not-for-profit corporation and changes its name to the Eye Research Foundation of Missouri.

1974:: The Eye Research Foundation's new facility is built with the $250,000 raised by the Lions of Missouri of six acres of land donated by Bryon Keene.

1981-1990
1981:: Dr. Ronald Walkenbach becomes Executive Director of the Eye Research Foundation.

1987:: The Lions of Missouri vote to assume ownership of the Eye Research Foundation at their state convention, and change the corporation's name to the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation.

1987:: The Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation expands its operation and opens its Springfield, MO office.

1989:: A third Foundation office is opened in St. Louis, MO.

1991-2000

1995:: ECA (Eye Care Assistance) begins.

1995:: Amblyopia Prevention Program begins with a pilot study in St. Louis.

1997:: Board of Directors votes to begin the Eye Care Assistance program in order to help indigent Missourians with medical expenses for eye care.

1997:: Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank opens in Springfield, IL and is operated by the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation.

1997:: The Foundation enters an agreement with the Kansas Lions Sight Foundation and takes over the retrieval area of the former Kansas Odd Fellow Rebekah Eye Bank in Kansas City. A fifth office opens in Kansas City, MO.

1997:: The Foundation receives a grant for $200,000 from LCIF for the amblyopia program- the Foundation launches the program statewide.

1998:: Heartland Lions Eye Bank (HLEB) administration is created to oversee the eye bank branches operated by the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation. From here on, the Foundation's eye bank branches are collectively referred to as the Heartland Lions Eye Banks.

1998:: HLEB opens its sixth eye bank branch in Hays, Kansas.
2001-2004

2004:: HLEB opens its seventh eye bank branch in Joplin, Missouri.

2004:: HLEB becomes a substation for the National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI).
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Last updated: January 18, 2008