TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Lisa Marie Camacho as the Lightning Community Hero this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Camacho, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Lions World Vision Institute.
Camacho knows the invaluable impact Lions World Vision Institute has on individuals suffering from vision loss personally. When she was in her early 20s, she was diagnosed with several disorders that caused her to lose nearly all vision in her left eye. Just a few months later, while pregnant, she also started losing sight in her right eye. Through the support of Lions World Vision Institute, she was able to receive a double cornea transplant. This has allowed her to live independently and enjoy life with her son.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to expand Lions World Vision Institute’s services to more individuals in need. Specifically, they will conduct 15 additional mobile and static clinic visits, serving an estimated 250 more children. Additionally, they will support 19 individuals in need of cornea transplants by donating the tissues needed, ensuring life-changing outcomes for those without financial means. Lastly, they will train five new vision screeners to enhance outreach efforts across Tampa Bay, ensuring sustainability and growth of vision care services.
Camacho became the 614th Lightning Community Hero since the Vinik Family introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through tonight’s game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $33.07 million to nearly 775 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Vinik Family announced that the Community Hero program would continue its commitment with an additional $10 million through the 2025-26 season. Upon joining the ownership group of the Tampa Bay Lightning in October 2024, Doug Ostrover, Marc Lipschultz, and their families have teamed up with the Vinik Family to contribute to the program and ensure its continued success and lasting impact across the Tampa Bay community.