Pictured are approximately 2,000 eyeglasses collected by the Heritage Lions in Hoagland. They are ready to be delivered to Kevin McDermit of the Arcola Lions Club. Here is the journey of recycled eyeglasses in Lions Clubs all over the world:
1. Lions Clubs collect used eyeglasses at various community locations.
2. The glasses are shipped to the nearest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center where trained volunteers sort, clean and determine the prescription strengths of the glasses.
3. Volunteers at the recycling center carefully package the prepared glasses and store them until they are required for eyeglass- dispensing missions. Glasses that are not suitable for reuse are recycled for scrap, with the earnings benefitting local Lions projects.
4. At the mission site, eye care professionals and trained Lion volunteers perform vision screenings and dispense the appropriate recycled glasses, free of charge, to children and adults in need. Dr. Eric Purdy of Bluffton and Fort Wayne has traveled all over the world helping the poor with their eye problems.
Last February Lions Clubs from all over Northern Indiana contributed to gathering, preparing and shipping over 30,000 eyeglasses to Honduras. Many third world countries have no access to eyeglasses. Helen Keller challenged the Lions a hundred years ago to help the poor to see. You can place your unneeded eyeglasses, sunglasses or reading glasses in any of the hundreds of collection boxes located throughout northern Indiana.
