To help support a worthy cause, the Brighton campus of Ross Medical Education Center hosted a drive collecting eyeglasses to be sent to the Lions Club for recycling. Throughout the entire month of September, staff, students, and faculty participated by donating new and used eyeglasses of all types. The box of eyeglasses they collected will be mailed to the local Lions eyeglasses collection center in Indiana. “My old glasses have been sitting around my house a long time. The prescription does not work for me anymore, but I knew I could do something better with them than just throw them out” said Admissions Representative Holly, who was glad to finally see them go to good use. The campus was able to collect 32 pairs of glasses to donate to those in need. That’s 32 lives changed!
According to the World Health Organization, 153 million people across the globe have uncorrected refractive errors including near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism. Most of these vision impairments are quickly diagnosed and easy to treat with corrective lenses. Unfortunately, many people cannot afford the proper eyeglasses they need. For as little as $0.08, the Lions Club can provide a pair of recycled eyeglasses and change someone’s life. For children, clear vision means a better education, healthier development and a better quality of life. For adults, it means greater employment opportunity and economic strength. For seniors, it means less dependence on others.
According to their website, the Lions Club was created in 1917 by Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman. He advocated at his local business club that they should reach out into communities around the world to address concerns other than business issues. He soon developed a following, and within three years, Lions Club became an international organization. Since then, they have earned high respect for both their integrity and transparency. Their mission: “To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions Clubs” really encompasses what Jones sought to achieve. With more than 1.35 million members in more than 46,000 clubs worldwide, the Lyons club is making a difference worldwide.
For more information on the Lyons Club visit their website at www.lionsclubs.org where they offer search tools to locate a local club near you.