“The only thing worse than being
Helen Keller
blind is having sight, but no vision.”
Helen Keller was (and is) an inspiration to many. Having lost her sight and hearing at 18 months of age, Helen Keller famously overcame her disabilities to become an American author, political activist and lecturer, also being the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree.
THE CHALLENGE
Keller is remembered as a tireless advocate for people with disabilities: giving impassioned speeches, penning writings and raising awareness for the deaf and blind population. She campaigned for the promotion of the American Foundation for the Blind, calling for people and groups to foster and sponsor this newly formed institution. Invited to speak at the International Lions Convention in 1925, Helen Keller extended the challenge for Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness” – and they accepted.
Since then, the Lions work has included sight programs aimed at preventable blindness. Lions are known around the world for their service to the blind and visually impaired. From vision screenings and guide dog sponsorships to supporting pediatric eyecare centers, Lions have worked for nearly 100 years to improve the lives of people who are blind or living with low vision. What became a worldwide phenomenon can be traced back to the tireless work of this one extraordinary woman, Helen Keller.
RECYCLE FOR SIGHT
One of the most prominent Lions’ initiatives that supports
this cause is the Lions’ Eyeglass Recycling Program.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 120 million people are visually impaired because of uncorrected refractive errors (far- and near-sightedness). Refractive errors can be easily diagnosed, measured and corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery. Yet, millions of people lack access to these basic services.
The “Recycle for Sight” Program uses donated eyeglasses collected by Lions Clubs to help improve the quality of life for children and adults living in low- and middle-income communities around the world. Many will experience corrected vision for the first time, enabling them to lead productive working lives, support their families, attend school and advance their education.
Donated eyeglasses are collected in communities and shipped to the Wisconsin Eyeglass Recycling Center (ERC) – 800,000 used glasses are received each year. Each pair is visually inspected, then usable pairs are cleaned, the prescription is read by special equipment, categorized (there are 49 categories by gender and prescription), packaged in plastic, labeled, sorted, boxed and put into inventory. At any given time the ERC inventory available is about 125,000 pairs of glasses. These are provided without cost to sponsors of Vision Mission projects to developing countries. (Regulations discourage United States use.) Some mission groups are Lions, but there are many others, often including vision professionals.
It is here that the glasses are sorted to determine those that are usable or unusable, processed, and placed in inventory for distribution to optical missions around the world. Lions help to minimize landfill waste by supporting precious metal reclamation and scrap processing for damaged glasses that are unusable.
HERE IN GREENDALE: HOW YOU CAN HELP!
The Greendale Lions Club has been collecting eyeglasses from the community for many years, assisting with the “Recycling For Sight” effort. The Club has three sites in Greendale where there are official drop-box locations:
- Greendale Post Office, 5741 Broad St.
- America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses
5497 S. 76th St., (414) 423-0293 - JC Penney Optical (in Southridge Mall)
5350 S. 76th St. (414) 423-4222
The Greendale community has been a HUGE supporter of this program. Lion Bob Massey (organizer of the Greendale Lions Club Recycle For Sight Program) is proud of the fact that he sends “about 200 pairs of glasses per month to the Wisconsin ERC from the Greendale collection boxes.” The Greendale Lions ask that you please continue this tradition and donate your used prescription glasses, including sunglasses and reading glasses, to help the Lions efforts both locally and worldwide.
Visit the Greendale Lions website at greendalelions.org/donate-eyeglasses/ for more information on what additional efforts the Club participates in to promote assistance for the blind and visually impaired.