LIHU‘E — All of the Lions Clubs on the island were collecting unwanted used eyeglasses and sunglasses Saturday from five different sites during the Lions Recycle for Sight initiative. “It was so cute,” said Debbie Matsumoto of the East Kaua‘i Lions
LIHU‘E — All of the Lions Clubs on the island were collecting unwanted used eyeglasses and sunglasses Saturday from five different sites during the Lions Recycle for Sight initiative.
“It was so cute,” said Debbie Matsumoto of the East Kaua‘i Lions Club who, along with Janice Akiyama, was manning a table outside the Longs Drugs at Kukui Grove Center.
“This lady was driving by and saw the Lions banner and stopped, saying ‘I have some used eyeglasses in my glove compartment’ and deposited them.”
Longs Drugs, both at Kukui Grove and Kaua‘i Village, were collection sites joining Walmart, Big Save in Koloa, Foodland in Princeville and Ishihara Market.
“There was someone at Ishihara Market when I passed this morning,” said Memory Robinson, an EK Lions Club member at Walmart.
This year, the Lions Club, in addition to the unwanted and used eyeglasses, added hearing aids to their list of recyclables, all of the collected items being cleaned, analyzed and shipped to those in need in developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and inaccessible.
Matsumoto, in addition to collecting eyeglasses, was also selling tickets to the annual East Kaua‘i Lions Club pancake breakfast scheduled for March 3 from 6:30 to 10 a.m. at the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School cafeteria.
“I sold most of my tickets already,” Matsumoto said. “Additionally, for those who come to deposit eyeglasses, I have these note cards, which were made by a visually-impaired individual. Normally, they’re sold, but if someone brings a pair of eyeglasses, I give them a card.”
Matsumoto said most of the people were waiting for the pancake breakfast tickets to come out and she just had to mention them and people were willing to donate the $7 per ticket.
Akiyama said following the Saturday collection, the recycle eyeglasses collection box will be returned to Longs Drugs where people can deposit their unwanted eyeglasses.
Visit www.lionsclubs.org for more information on the Lions Recycle for Sight program and how individuals and businesses can become a part of the program.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
