Camas Lions Club assembles hands for The Hand Project

Nancy Eubank and Stephanie O’Dell of the Camas Lions Club and the rest of the club’s members assembled prosthetic hands for The Hand Project on Saturday. They also did so with just one hand, to feel what it is like to only have one hand. Photo by Paul Valencia

‘Local project, global impact’ was the theme Saturday as members of the Camas Lions Club assembled prosthetic hands which will be delivered to people in developing countries as part of The Hand Project

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

They gathered in east Clark County on Saturday for a team-building project that would benefit people on the other side of the world.

“Local project, global impact,” said Stephanie O’Dell, president of the Camas Lions Club.

The Camas Lions Club assembled these parts into a prosthetic hand, which will likely go to a person in Africa who has lost a hand. This is part of The Hand Project, an organization that builds and gives prosthetic hands to people in developing countries. Photo by Paul Valencia

Members of the club assembled 3D-printed parts into prosthetic hands, which will be distributed to those in need in Africa. From Camas to Zimbabwe or perhaps in other areas of need throughout the world.

“That’s one of the cool things about the Lions International organization is we are a global organization. There are 1.4 million members across the world. We get to do projects like this,” O’Dell said. “It shows that we are all one big family in the world.”

There are so many needs, she added.

“Where there’s a need, there is a Lion,” O’Dell said.

The Hand Project started in 2019, but it was a chance meeting more than a decade ago that led to the Camas Lions Club becoming part of this project.

Nancy Eubank, the project lead for the club, said while she was living in Alaska she and her husband met Chris Gully. Years later, while visiting Europe, they met up with Gully again. By then, Gully had started The Hand Project. Gully told the Eubanks all about the organization.

The Hand Project provides prosthetics to people who have lost one or both hands, or were born without a limb. The new hand provides more dignity and possibilities in their lives, according to the organization’s website. The Hand Project provides mechanical and cosmetic prosthetic arms and hands to people in developing countries completely free of charge.

“I was really enthusiastic,” Eubank said.

After moving to Clark County, the Eubanks joined the Lions club, and Nancy wondered if the club would be interested in The Hand Project.

A hand costs $300, and that includes the parts, the delivery, as well as getting the hands fitted for each client.

Oftentimes, The Hand Project asks companies to donate the money and also assemble the parts into the prosthetic hands as part of a team-building experience for their employees.

In this case, instead of a company, it was the Lions Club of Camas.

On Saturday, the Lions split into teams and assembled four hands. Oh, and each member of the team was asked to wear what looks to be a Koozie over one hand.

“You’ll be more empathetic to know what it’s like to only have one hand,” Eubank said.

Long term, Eubank said she hopes more clubs will consider helping The Hand Project.

“I’d like to spread the word,” she said. “There are thousands of people in the world without hands and cannot afford hands.”

O’Dell said her club raised funds specifically for this project.

She said the theme of the Camas Lions Club this year is: Even Better Together.

“Alone, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” O’Dell said. “Together, as a team, we can accomplish so much more.” For more information on The Hand Project, go to: https://handproject.org/en/home-2/