MADISON –Madison Area Lions Club’s work has provided a healthier environment for learning at two local schools.

Lions members helped to improve air quality in classrooms at Village of Promise family advancement center and Second Mile Preschool in Huntsville. The club built and installed two Corsi-Rosenthal air filtration boxes.

“The primary purpose of these air filters is to improve air quality and eliminate some upper respiratory concerns, like allergies and some viral infections,” Lions Club President Cheryl Emich said.

“These air filtration boxes are built with Merc-13 filters, which can filter particles down to .1 microns,” Emich said. “Both of these schools are in older buildings, and we hope this will help the children.”

Madison Lions hope to expand the use of these filters during the next school year.

The Corsi-Rosenthal DIY air filtration box can assist in decreasing respiratory aerosol particles, like certain viruses, pollens and dust. These boxes do not replace HVAC system filters but supplement air quality in classrooms. The filtration system includes a simple box fan that is oriented up, four MERC-13 filters and a bottom to seal the box. (corsirosenthalfoundation.org)

To create the filtration system, all items are taped together. The manufacturer recommends that the fan runs on medium or lowest setting to reduce noise.

“We were surprised how quiet the system is when running,” Second Mile Director Cate DeFiore said. “We hope these systems help improve air quality as we are in an older building. It was very proper that the Madison Area Lions Club members delivered our two Corsi-Rosenthal filters on Earth Day.”

The air filtration project is one example of the Lions’ “Vision for Learning” program, which focuses on improving learning environments for children of all ages, Lions Club Vice President Tony Villamil said. “Under this program, the club also conducts eye screenings in daycares and local schools and provides eye exams and eyeglasses for children without the resources to obtain these services,” Villamil said.

“We would like to thank our partners who donated supplies to help make these filtration systems very affordable for the club,” Lions Club Director John Emich said.

Home Depot donated lumber for the boxes’ tops and bottoms. Harbor Feight donated dollies to make the filtration boxes portable in the schools. Rural King donated box fans for the filtration systems. “We appreciate the support from these businesses in helping us improve the air quality in the classrooms,” John Emich said.

To get involved with Madison Area Lions Club, email Villamil at madisonlionsclub@gmail.com.

Some of the other members who worked on the project include Jaci Hammer, Pam Howard, Luke Hunter, Paul Orton, David Newsome, Susan Parsons, Buford Shipley and Gine Shipley.