The Georgia Lions Lighthouse began the eighties decade with a call to commitment by Lion Ken Massingale, president. "Commitment means more than talk, it requires positive action and sometimes a little sacrifice", said Massingale. During the 1980-8-l fiscal year, the Lighthouse helped 693 people receive vision and hearing care, supported the Augusta Eye Bank with $21,226, the Emory Eye Bank with $55,871, the Camp for the Blind with $12,500, and corneal research at the Medical College of Georgia with $10,200. Total receipts for the year were $396,478.15 and expenditures were $323,973.24. $50,000 of the income was received from the Peach Bowl.

Lion Massingale finished a three-year term as president in 1981-82. Lion Massingale began the District Governor-Elect seminar in 1982-83. It was designed to provide Lighthouse information and education to newly elected state leadership. During the year, sight and hearing was provided to 611 Georgians, White Cane Day brought in $57,000, the Peach Bowl generated the highest income ever--$89,000, and 252 hearing aids were dispensed. Total income for the year was $428,296.35 and disbursements, $277,600.60.

Under President McTyre’s leadership in 1983-84, the board made an exciting decision. They committed to a building program and voted to purchase a lot on Clairmont Road in Decatur, just north of the VA Hospital. Total receipts for the year were $396,278,57 and expenditures were $396,278.57. Over 1,500 patients applied for services.

The building fund program gained momentum during President McTyre’s last year in 1984-85, and groundbreaking was held on June 8, 1985. The Georgia Lions Hearing and Ear Research Laboratory at Emory began clinical training for the cochlear implant surgical techniques. This implant enables people with profound hearing loss to hear for the very first time.

Two new leaders came to the Lighthouse in 1985-86 with Lion T. G. Crosby as president and Mrs. Marlene Lague as executive director. Lion Crosby, Mrs. Lague, and the building committee worked together in overseeing the construction of the new building which was occupied in April of 1986. During this fiscal year, the staff focused on getting hospitals to give discounts to Lighthouse patients and $15,522.00 was written off. Over 2,000 people applied for vision and hearing care. 1985 was the last year of the Peach Bowl for the Lighthouse. A total of $740,942.05 was received from Peach Bowl contributions from 1968 to 1985. White Cane Day income climbed to an all time high of $144,225 with 52% club participation. Total support and revenue for the year was $612,169 and expenditures totaled $399,231. The trust fund, now managed by Montag and Caldwell, had a total market value of $1,014,143.

The Lighthouse continued to grow in 1986-87 and the first Senior PGA golf tournament was held in Roswell to help meet the demand for services. Some of golf’s greatest players, including Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Miller Barber, and Chi Chi Rodriguez, competed for the Pepsi Senior Challenge’s first prize check of $37,500.00. Senator Pierre Howard spoke at the sixth annual District Governor-Elect seminar. 566 roaring Lions and Lionesses attending the Lighthouse Day with the Braves on June 21, 1987. The Board of Trustees devised a strategy for increasing the value of the trust fund and making our future secure. The driving force behind this new Ten Million Dollar Club was Lion Tom Williams of Savannah. Twenty-one people joined the Club with $100 donations as the program began.

Dancing his way into the presidency with humor and enthusiasm was Lion Charles Pickell of Dalton who took office on July 1, 1987. President Pickell danced on a table to raise money for the Lighthouse. The most important venture of the year was the decision to join with the American Diabetes Association, Georgia Affiliate in a diabetic eye disease project called Fight for Sight. Lions Clubs International Foundation supported Fight for Sight with a $50,000.00 grant. The research conducted in the Georgia Lions Hearing Lab received attention from researchers around the world. 1,934 patients applied for services, courtesy discounts from hospitals and anesthesiologists climbed to $55,484.33, and 418 patients received hearing aids. Total support and revenue for the year was $600,444 and expenses were $552,770.

Lion Pickell completed the decade of the eighties with his third and final year as president. This was a year of unsurpassed growth. Applications increased by 45% over the previous year as 2,972 patients asked for help. Discounts reached a high of $85,904 from hospitals and anesthesiologists and an estimated additional $400,000 was donated by eye doctors. To help with the growth, the Georgia Health Foundation, Inc. made a $50,000 grant to the Lighthouse in honor of Dr. Morgan Raiford, one of the first ophthalmologists to participate in the Lighthouse program. A multi-user computer system was purchased for the Lighthouse office to replace the Radio Shack TRS-80. The trust fund continued to increase as it reached a fair market value of $1,495,461 on June 30, 1990. Total support and revenue in this last year of the decade was $583,417 and expenditures were $649,931.