The Narooma Lions Club are collecting used prescription eyeglasses and prescription and non-prescription sunglasses as part of a unique recycling program. The collected glasses are cleaned and prepared for distribution in developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and inaccessible.

“We need everyone to donate their used eyeglasses,” project coordinator Bob Carr said.

“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.”

“It would be wonderful to see the expression on the faces of the recipients, who have regained their ability to see properly thanks to this project,” said Bob.

Glasses for donation can be dropped off at Jim Hoar’s Narooma Pharmacy, the Community Health Centre or Australia Post.

The donated glasses are then shipped to a regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre where they sorted, cleaned and regraded in one of four depots before being labelled and prepared for dispatch in graded groups.

The Lions workforce is provided by persons on Community Service Orders, trainees under Work for the Dole, persons with Mutual Obligation requirements and volunteers.

Narooma Lions have been collecting glasses for over 10 years now contributing to the Australian target to reach 500,000 pair a year by 2010 and 1 million pair a year by 2015.

The Narooma Lions Club has 27 members and meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6.30 -7pm at Narooma Golf Club.

Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfil those needs.

For more information or to get involved with the Narooma Lions Club, can contact Lesley Connor on 4476 3024.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with nearly 1.3 million members in about 45,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. 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. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org, or www.naroomalions.org