HAHIRA – Buzzing back into town is the Honeybee Festival, and so is the diabetes awareness senior walk. 

The festival returns Sept. 30 through Oct. 5 at the Hahira Depot, 220 W. Main St., and the walk is sponsored for the first time by the Hahira Lions Club, 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The event is part of Strides: Lions for Diabetes Awareness recognized by the Lions Clubs International.

Club President Shannon Kingston said the walk speaks to the global causes of the club.

“Lions Club’s main goal is always vision,” she said. “Of course with diabetes, one of the first things to go, hand in hand, is vision loss.”

At a September Hahira City Council meeting, Mayor Bruce Cain read a proclamation deeming Tuesday, Oct. 1, as Strides: Lions for Diabetes Awareness Day, Kingston said.

The proclamation highlights the background of the Hahira Lions Club and its diabetes efforts.

“Whereas, Hahira Lions Club, through Strides is participating in an international activity with Lions Clubs throughout the world,” it reads.

“Whereas, the International Diabetes Federation has identified diabetes as one of the major health and development challenges of the 21st century; and that over 360 million people in the world have diabetes, but half of them are unaware that they have the disease.”

Kingston said there will be 16 vendors set up inside of the depot at the walk. Seniors may get a blood pressure screening and a sugar screening.

Valdosta State University Learning in Retirement, the Council on Aging and insurance companies are a few of the vendors.

A bank will offer a 30-minute fraud class.

A light breakfast will be served with granola bars, yogurt and fruit cups, Kingston said.

Organizers ask participants pre-register on a Facebook event page, Lions Club Strides for Diabetes Senior Walk. Registration is free until event day.