The new Airdrie Family Lions Club is asking people to look through dresser drawers and closets for used eyeglasses and donate them to the Recycle For Sight program.
“We need everyone to donate their used eyeglasses,” said Dean Constantini, organizer of the club.
“In most developing countries, an eye exam can cost as much as one month’s wages and a single eye doctor may serve a community of hundreds of thousands of people.”
Throughout the year, the Airdrie Family Lions Club will be collecting used eyeglasses and prescription and non-prescription sunglasses as part of a unique recycling program.
The glasses will be cleaned and prepared for distribution in developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and inaccessible.
The donated glasses will be shipped to a regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center where they will be cleaned, categorized by prescription and prepared for distribution by Lions and other groups.
“Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world,” said Constantini.
“Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.”
To donate used glasses - including sunglasses and reading glasses - place them in the specially marked Lions Recycle For Sight collection boxes located at Airdrie Public Library.
For more information or to get involved with the new Airdrie Family Lions Club, contact Constantini at 403-980-3034.
