On Tuesday, Oct. 24, the Good Hope Lions Club sponsored Lion Ron Derry, of the Etna Lions Club, in presenting his GOOD Program to the Miami Trace Elementary fourth grade classes.

Derry has been taking his anti-bullying program to schools all over Ohio starting in 1995. During that time he has distributed over 100,000 GOOD t-shirts. Teachers are given four t-shirts per class with guidance to give one student per nine weeks grading period a shirt. Teachers will select students based on good attendance, good listening skills, good work habits and good citizenship.

Derry related how after 18 years of being a school teacher and coach of multiple sports, he suddenly became totally blind. As he sat on his sofa after his wife (also a teacher) and children went back to school, he had a decision to make: Sit there and feel sorry for himself, or use his situation to encourage others to face and overcome obstacles.

Derry and his wife then created the “GOOD Program.” GOOD stands for “Going On Or Defeated” and is used to enforce to students that there are GOOD options in every situation.

The Good Hope Lions Club is also sponsoring the program at a Washington Court House elementary school and Fayette Christian School.

These programs are made possible from funds generated during the semi-annual pancake breakfast (Nov. 11, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at Wayne Township Hall in Good Hope) and the annual candy sales starting Nov. 15 at the former Southern State Community College facility on Highland Avenue.