Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin

06/19/2026

06/17/2026

Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin is attending the Wisconsin Coroners and Medical Examiners Association (WCMEA) summer conference in Wausau, WI June 15-17th. LEBW is a proud Associate Member, supporting the vital role these professionals have as Last Responders caring for decedents and families.
Pictured: (L) Michael Katz, Development Specialist and (R) Katie Schara, Development Specialist / Coroner and Medical Examiner Liaison

06/15/2026

Pictured (L) Nanette Haase, Haase Lockwood and Associates Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inc. and (R) Katie Schara, Development Specialist for LEBW.

Nanette was our raffle prize winner at the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association Conference in WI Dells last week. Nanette and husband Bruce are long time Genoa City Lions Club members and served as Transporters in the past. The raffle included 2 Green Bay Packers Tickets, Igloo Max Cooler, Packers Socks, Packers football and it wouldn’t be Wisconsin if we didn’t include cheesy chips. Congratulations Nanette and special thanks to Haase Lockwood Funeral professionals for your continued support of donation.

06/12/2026

🚨 We're Hiring! 🚨
Looking for a career where your work has a direct impact on restoring sight, supporting donor families, and advancing a mission that changes lives every day?

The Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin is growing, and we're looking for a talented and passionate professional to join our team.

This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues who are committed to honoring the gift of donation, supporting transplant recipients, and helping eliminate corneal blindness through transplantation, research, education, and community outreach.

We're looking for someone who:
✅ Is passionate about making a difference
✅ Thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment
✅ Brings strong skills, initiative, and a commitment to excellence
✅ Wants to be part of an organization with a powerful legacy and an even brighter future

If that sounds like you—or someone in your network—We encourage you to apply and share this opportunity with others.

Together, we can transform loss into hope and restore the gift of sight.

To learn more, visit: https://lebw.org/about/careers/

To apply, please email your resume to [email protected].

06/08/2026

🌲 Wisconsin Born. Wisconsin Proud. Wisconsin Dedicated. 🌲
When it comes to restoring sight and supporting families during their most difficult moments, local roots matter.

For decades, the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin (LEBW) has been the trusted, homegrown partner for Wisconsin’s Funeral Directors. Our team is made up of your neighbors—Like you, we live here, work here, and serve here every single day.

Our mission has always been clear: Keep Wisconsin donations local. When a Wisconsin resident chooses to give the gift of sight, we ensure that gift directly impacts and transforms the lives of our neighbors right here in our own communities, first.

Are you attending the Convention at Glacier Canyon Lodge this week (June 8-10, 2026)? Come see us at booth 19 and enter for a chance to win our Homegrown Wisconsin Raffel featuring tickets to the Green Bay Packers game on October 29, 2026, at 7:15PM at Lambeau Field with game essentials including the Igloo Max wheeled cooler, fan favorite socks, football, and cheesy chips!

As you connect with peers and advance your education, remember the value of a true, unwavering local partnership. LEBW remains 100% committed to providing our state's deathcare and medical professionals with the seamless, compassionate, and deeply rooted collaboration you’ve always relied on.

Thank you to the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association and all our incredible local partners who stand with us to keep Wisconsin’s donation and transplantation systems local, reliable, and community-first.
Let’s keep building Wisconsin's future, together.

👉 Learn more about our lifelong commitment to our state with these Funeral Director Resources at LEBW: https://tinyurl.com/4cy89dd2

06/06/2026

June 6th is National Eyewear Day! You can celebrate by scheduling an eye exam, donating old glasses, or just by appreciating the endless ways our eyewear can enhance our personal style in addition to our vision!

06/05/2026

Under a clear spring sky, our community recently gathered at the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin to dedicate the beautiful new “Arrow of Light” sculpture within the Journey of the Gift of Sight Garden. It was a deeply moving day filled with quiet reflection, remembrance, and profound gratitude.

As Board Chair Lion Judy Hatz beautifully shared during the ceremony, “Every restored moment of sight begins with an act of extraordinary generosity. This garden — and this sculpture — stand as a lasting tribute to those gifts.”

A Space for Healing and Remembrance

The emotional core of this sanctuary was captured perfectly by Mary I., a donor family member from Tomahawk, WI:

"The entire time at the LEBW was so heartwarming and exactly what I needed at this time in my life. Grief just flares up from time to time. Spring with a renewal of life hits the heart hard when we have lost a loved one whom we miss so dearly and deeply. Thank you to all of you for making this such a beautiful day."


Symbolizing Love and Resilience

Designed by talented Waunakee artist Don Esser, the "Arrow of Light" sculpture represents movement through darkness toward hope, honoring the enduring bond between donor families and their loved ones.

In the artist's own words: “My hope is that everyone who stands before this sculpture sees not only loss, but also love, resilience, and the enduring light that continues through others.”


🌿 Become Part of Our Living Story

As the Journey of the Gift of Sight Garden continues to flourish and expand, it opens wonderful new paths for service, connection, and remembrance. We invite you to support this sacred space and help our vital mission grow:

Learn More: Come visit the garden or schedule an official group tour.
Become a Volunteer: We are seeking passionate volunteers to help with regular green-space maintenance, seasonal landscaping, and special programmatic projects.
Support Our Work: Your meaningful financial contributions help carry this vision forward, ensuring the garden remains a lasting tribute to the life-changing gift of sight.


📧 Get Involved Today: To learn more about volunteering, visiting, or making a gift, please contact the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin at [email protected].

06/03/2026

A massive congratulations to Andreea Bauknecht on her recent appointments to leadership service at the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA).
Safety, quality, and strict regulatory adherence are the bedrock of what we do at Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin. Andreea’s selection to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Accreditation Board and AB Vice-Chair of the Medical Advisory Board highlights her elite command over these critical areas. Furthermore, her reappointment to the Legislative & Regulatory Committee ensures our industry maintains a forward-thinking and safe standard of operation.

Her clinical insights and leadership will directly impact:
• National tissue processing safety protocols
• Regulatory policies governing ocular tissue banking
• Clinical guidelines that support successful corneal transplantation outcomes

We are incredibly proud to have her representing LEBW on a national scale. Join us in celebrating her in the comments!

06/03/2026

We are incredibly proud to announce that our very own Tolulope Oyedun, MD has been appointed to two prestigious positions within the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). Join us in celebrating her new roles on both the Accreditation Board and the Medical Advisory Board.

These dual appointments underscore Dr. Oyedun’s commitment to advancing the field of ophthalmology and ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality in ocular tissue banking. Her leadership and expertise will contribute significantly to the EBAA’s vital work in shaping policy and clinical guidelines, ultimately supporting the success of corneal transplantation surgeries across the country.

Congratulations, Dr. Oyedun, on this well-deserved recognition!

06/03/2026

Leading the way in ocular tissue banking standards. 👁️

We are incredibly proud to announce that three distinguished members of the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin team have been appointed to serve on key committees and boards for the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA).

Congratulations to:

Brianne Statz – Reappointed to the Quality Assurance Committee

Ivan Castaneda – Reappointed to the Policy and Position Research and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees, and newly appointed to the Technician Education Committee

Michael Grunwald – Reappointed to the Medical Review Board Subcommittee and the Constitution & Bylaws Committee

These appointments reflect the deep clinical expertise and dedication of these professionals to advancing the field of ophthalmology, and commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards in ocular tissue processing. By serving on these national EBAA committees, our team continues to help shape the future of eye banking and improve outcomes for corneal transplantation patients across the country.

Please join us in celebrating their achievement and their ongoing contribution to the gift of sight in the comments below!